All news

Lavrov advises US reporters not to listen to Pentagon about Russian air strikes in Syria

Earlier in the day, Russia’s Defense Ministry circulated video footages of air strikes on the command centres of the Islamic State terrorist group located in Syria

THE UNITED NATIONS, September 30. /TASS/. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov advised Western journalists to apply to Russia's Defense Ministry for information about the Russian military operation in Syria, in response to US reporters' question on the Syria conflict before his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

"Do not listen to the Pentagon about Russian [air] strikes, ask the Russian Defense Ministry," Lavrov said noting that all the information had been made public at the UN Security Council’s Ministerial Meeting.

Earlier in the day, Russia’s Defense Ministry circulated video footages of air strikes on the command centres of the Islamic State terrorist group located in Syria.

"Today aircraft of Russia’s Aerospace Forces delivered pinpoint air strikes on eight facilities of the ISIL [former name of Islamic State] terrorist group on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. Overall, some 20 sorties were made," Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

"As a result of air strikes, depots with ammunition, armaments, petroleum, oil and lubricants, accumulations of military hardware were hit. The command control centres of ISIL militant formations in the mountains have been completely destroyed," Konashenkov said adding that all the strikes were carried out after the relevant intelligence had been provided by the Syrian army’s headquarters. Russian aircraft has not bombed civilian facilities and areas around them.

The Federation Council on Wednesday empowered the Russian president to use Russian military outside the national territory. As the chief of the presidential staff Sergey Ivanov explained, the air operation was to be launched against the Islamic State in Syria at the request of Syria’s president Bashar Assad. Earlier, Vladimir Putin said that Russia would not be involved in operations on the ground.