MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia) tried to attack Russia’s Hmeymim Airbase in Syria with a multiple launch rocket system. The air defense alert force repelled the attack and destroyed the target, the Russian Defense Ministry told journalists on Monday.

"On the evening of May 19 terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra tried to attack the Russian airbase Hmeymim with a multiple launch rocket system. At about 20:00 on Sunday the terrorists launched six projectiles from the Idlib de-escalation zone on the Russian airbase. The air defense alert force destroyed all the projectiles," the Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said that no destruction or victims were reported at the Hmeymim Airbase and that it continues to operate in a regular mode.

"The Russian reconnaissance force urgently detected the specified terrorists’ multiple launch rocket system on the western outskirts of the community of Kafr Nabl in the Idlib Governorate. The Russian Aerospace Force destroyed the specified terrorist target in a pinpoint attack," the Defense Ministry reported.

The Russian air defense systems also detected two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) approaching Hmeymim from the north and northeast. "The air defense alert force of the Russian airbase destroyed all UAVs at a considerable distance from the airbase," the ministry said.

The ministry noted that despite the total ceasefire since May 18 by the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, Jabhat al-Nusra’s terrorists in the Idlib de-escalation zone continue provocations and attacks.