BEIRUT, October 5. /TASS/. Russia’s operation against the Islamic State in Syria is no infringement on that country’s sovereignty as "it was preceded by close contacts between Moscow and Damascus," Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday.
"Russia acted strictly under the United Nations Charter and international laws. It came to Syria at the request of its government," he stressed. "This step is not infringing upon Syria’s independence and Russia is acting within the framework of Syria’s sovereignty."
"Russian air strikes are targeted against the groups Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham the United Nations Security Council considers are terrorist," he noted.
Russia’s operation in Syria is criticized by "those countries that were behind sparking the conflict in Syria, namely the United States, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar."
Russia’s aerospace forces launched pinpoint strikes against the Islamic State targets in Syria on September 30. The Russian air group in Syria comprises more than 50 warplanes and helicopters. According to Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, air strikes are delivered at military hardware, communications centres, transport vehicles, munitions depots and other terrorist infrastructure facilities. The military operation is conducted at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.