All news

Russia urges to form broad international coalition to counter Islamic State

Moscow still expects cooperation in establishing concrete targets to deliver air strikes at in order to destroy IS bases and coordinates of facilities that are not to be hit by Russian aviation

MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Russia’s defense ministry calls on foreign states to form a broad international coalition to counter the terrorist organization Islamic State, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday.

"The current situation in Syria is another evidence of topicality of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiatives on the urgent necessity to form a broad international coalition to counter the Islamic State," Antonov said after a meeting with foreign military attaches.

He said the Russian defense ministry was expecting other countries to cooperate in determining targets for Russian air strikes in Syria.

"We still expect, and President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said it, cooperation in establishing concrete targets to deliver air strikes at in order to destroy Islamic State bases, or, otherwise, coordinates of facilities that are not to be hit by Russian aviation," Antonov said.

Russia’s aerospace forces launched pinpoint strikes against the Islamic State targets in Syria on September 30. The Russian air group in Syria comprises more than 50 warplanes and helicopters. According to Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov, air strikes are delivered at military hardware, communications centres, transport vehicles, munitions depots and other terrorist infrastructure facilities. The military operation is conducted at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia has repeatedly said it does not plan to take part in any ground operations in Syria.