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Fight against Islamic state

Twenty-nine long-range aircraft deliver strikes at IS facilities from Russia — minister

The aircraft of the long-range and bomber aviation delivered strikes from direction of the Caspian Sea

© Marina Lystseva/TASS

MOSCOW, November 20 /TASS/. Twenty nine long-range bomber aircraft have delivered strikes at positions of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syrian territory from direction of the Caspian Sea, Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergey Shoigu said in a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces, on Friday.

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"During the airborne mission, cruise missiles were fired at a range of up to 1,500 kilometres from the water areas of the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas; warplanes landed at airfields in the territories of Russia and Syria. Twenty-nine aircraft of the long-range and bomber aviation delivered strikes from direction of the Caspian Sea," Shoigu stressed.

The minister added that the flight range of Tu-160 aircraft exceeded 13,000 kilometres when combat tasks had been performed from the Mediterranean Sea.

The Russian military launched an operation against the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra (both organizations are banned in Russia) militants at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on September 30. The Russian air group includes more than 69 aircraft, including Su-34 and Su-24M bombers; Su-25 attack aircraft; Su-30SM fighter jets; Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. Ten Russian Navy ships are also involved in the operation, six of them in the Mediterranean.

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Russia’s long-range strategic bombers in action over Syria

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