SHAIKOVKA AIRDROME /Kaluga Region/, December 12. /TASS/. Russia’s long-range Tupolev-22M3 bombers have flown back home from an airdrome in North Ossetia to their permanent base in the Kaluga Region after completing a mission in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

"The crews of long-range bombers Tupolev-22M3 have flown back home from an airdrome in North Ossetia to their base in the Kaluga Region after successfully coping with their task to deliver air strikes against terrorist targets in Syria," the Defense Ministry said.

Long-range aviation commander Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash welcomed the crews.

"Competent maintenance and effective combat use of aviation technologies, as well as the observance of flight safety requirements allowed for accomplishing the tasks set in the course of the counter-terrorist operation in Syria. I congratulate the flight personnel upon the successful completion of combat tasks and return to base," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 11 visited the Hmeymim base in Syria to address military personnel and issue orders to pull out the Russian military group from Syria.