All news

Kremlin: Special services to study IS video with threats directed against Russia

The Russian president's spokesman admits he read reports about the video where IS threatens to conduct terrorist acts in Russian, but haven’t seen it himself and cannot comment on its authenticity

SOCHI, November 12. /TASS/. Russia’s special services will examine a video being distributed on behalf of the Islamic State terrorist group and containing threats directed against the Russian Federation, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday when asked to comment on the video posted on the web.

"I have read reports about that video, but I haven’t seen it, I don’t know the video’s authenticity, believability of these sources, but anyway, I don’t doubt that it is a material to be examined by our special services," Peskov said.

Russia’s Aerospace Forces started delivering pinpoint strikes in Syria at facilities of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations, which are banned in Russia, on September 30, 2015, on a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The air group comprises over 50 aircraft and helicopters, including Sukhoi Su-24M, Su-25SM and state-of-the-art Su-34 aircraft.

On October 7, four missile ships of the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla fired 26 Kalibr cruise missiles (NATO codename Sizzler) at militants’ facilities in Syria. On October 8, the Syrian army passed to a large-scale offensive.

Over 2,000 terrorist facilities have been destroyed by Russian aircraft since the start of the air operation. The Russian Federation does not plan to take part in ground operations in Syria.

According to UN statistics, fighting between Syrian government troops and militants has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced millions since its start in 2011.