MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have delivered airstrikes on the Islamic State’s ammunition depots near the town of Al-Mayadin in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"Russia’s Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers flying from domestic airfields, have crossed the airspaces of Iran and Iraq to deliver airstrikes on the terrorist facilities. The airstrikes targeted large ammunition depots of the ISIL terror group [the former name of the IS]," the statement reads.

"According to the data recording equipment, all the intended targets were destroyed," the statement adds.

The Sukhoi Su-30SM and Su-35S fighter jets, flying from the Hmeymim airbase, have been covering the Tu-22M3 bombers during the airstrikes.

"After completing their combat mission, all the Russian aircraft returned to their base airfields," the Defense Ministry said.

On January 18, Russia’s General Staff said that the Islamic State militants were continuously attacking the positions of the Syrian troops near the city of Deir ez-Zor.

"Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, the militants continue to attack the positions of the Syrian troops. In case the city is taken by terrorists, the residents will face a true genocide. The population of Deir ez-Zor may be exterminated," Head of the Main Operations Department of Russia’s General Staff Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi said then. After that, Russia has several times used long-range bombers to carry out strikes in the Deir ez-Zor province.