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Fight against Islamic state

Journalists from 12 countries visit Syria airbase where Russian aviation group is deployed

It is not the first group of foreign journalists that was brought to the Hmeymim airbase

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Russian air force personnel at Hmeymim air base near Syria’s Latakia

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

Russian military canteen at Hmeymim air base

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

Russian serviceman working at a water treatment facility at Hmeymim airbase

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

Hmeymim air base

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

© AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov

LATAKIA, November 11. /TASS/. Nearly 50 journalists from 12 countries have visited the Hmeymim air base near Syria’s Latakia, where the aviation grouping of the Russian Aerospace Forces is located, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday.

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"It is not the first group of foreign journalists that we brought to the Hmeymim airbase. Today we brought [reporters from] 12 countries - from America, Europe and Asia," he said.

According to him, the journalists will be able to see not only "the combat work of our pilots and preparations for the sorties," but also the daily routine of the air base. Apart from that, the military shared with the journalists "the data of video control of unmanned aerial vehicles concerning the results of the use of our aircraft in destroying the militant infrastructure in Syria."

"We provided all this, impressions are plentiful. Our foreign colleagues are impressed by our pilots’ professionalism and the infrastructure that exists here," he added.

Russian pilots have been carrying out airstrikes against terrorist targets of Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra [both terrorist groups are banned in Russia] in Syria since September 30 at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has no plans to take part in ground operations in Syria.

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