MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Russian air warfare group in Syria will intensify air strikes against terrorists while the Russian Defence Ministry is ready for cooperation with all motivated nations, Col Gen Andrey Kartapolov of the General Staff told reporters on Saturday.
"We are going not just to continue the air strikes but to intensify them," Gen Kartapolov said at the National Defence Control Centre noting that the Defence Ministry is willing to coordinate actions against the terrorist threat with different nations.
Primarily, the Russian combat planes "are targeting command centres, storage areas of ammunition and explosive devices, communication centres, small plants manufacturing weapons for suicide bombers and militants’ training camps," the general noted.
Gen Kartapolov pointed out that Russia’s Defence Ministry was willing to coordinate actions of different nations against the terrorist threat.
The Coordination Committee’s international informational centre has started its work in Baghdad, he said.
"We have invited all those who are motivated to fight against the Islamic State terrorist group to join its work. One of the centre’s goals is to coordinate actions and prevent any incidents," Gen Kartapolov said noting that Russia had urged others to share "any useful information on IS facilities in Syria and Iraq."
"We should say it frankly that today we are receiving such information from our Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian colleagues working at the centre. But as before, we are open to a dialogue with all motivated countries and will welcome any constructive contribution to this work," he said.
On Wednesday, Russia’s Federation Council empowered the president to use Russian military outside the national territory. The air operation was launched against Islamic State in Syria at the request of Syria’s President Bashar Assad. Earlier, Putin said that Russia would not be involved in operations on the ground.
Since Wednesday, Russian Air Force’s aircraft have been bombing Islamic State facilities located in Syria.