MOSCOW, January 6. /TASS/. Russian naval aviation pilots have performed 420 sorties and destroyed 1,252 terrorist facilities over the two months of the aircraft carrier naval group’s participation in the Syria operation, Commander of Russia’s Group of Forces in Syria Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov said on Friday.

"Over the two months of their participation in combat operations, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 sorties, including 117 in nighttime. Actually all flights were performed in complex weather conditions. A total of 1,252 terrorist facilities have been destroyed," he said.

The Northern Fleet’s aircraft carrier naval task force comprising the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large anti-submarine warfare ship Severomorsk, and also the Black Sea Fleet’s warships and support vessels has been accomplishing missions since November 8, 2016 to fight terrorists in Syria, he said.

"The strikes were delivered against infrastructure facilities, the amassments of militants and military hardware, fire emplacements and strongholds of illegal armed formations," the commander said.

"The Black Sea Fleet’s frigate Admiral Grigorovich staying in the Mediterranean Sea delivered a missile strike on November 15, 2016 with Kalibr cruise missiles against facilities of the ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terrorist organization outlawed in Russia] on the territory of Syria. All the targets were destroyed," he said.

The missions of delivering strikes against ground facilities directly from aboard warships were accomplished by deck-based aircraft for the first time in the history of the Russian Navy, the commander said.

Russia’s aircraft carrier naval group accomplished missions in Syria

The tasks of Russia’s aircraft carrier naval group in Syria have been accomplished, Kartapolov said.

"The tasks assigned to the aircraft carrier naval task force have been accomplished," the general said.

The aircraft carrier’s naval group’s warships and vessels are fully provided with all material supplies and are technically fit, he said.

"The Northern Fleet’s aircraft carrier naval group is ready for further operations," Kartapolov said.

During its stay in Syrian waters, the Russian aircraft carrier naval group established close interaction with Russia’s air task force and Bastion coastal defense missile systems, he said.

"A unified air defense system has been created jointly with the resources and capabilities of the air defense system of the Russian grouping in Syria on the basis of modern S-300 and S-400 complexes to reliably protect facilities on the ground and at sea," the commander said.

All types of defense, multi-service force interaction and comprehensive provision were practiced as Russia employed aircraft groups both from aboard the aircraft carrier and from the coastal aerodrome, he said.