Russia increases military operations in Syria

Russian newspaper Kommersant quoted a source from the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on the morning of July 11 that those who attacked the Mi-35M military helicopter of the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces in Syria will be punished and the Russian Defense Ministry is considering several scenarios to increase attacks on terrorist forces in Syria.

Along with that, the Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized that the attack on the Mi-35M military helicopter in Syria was an act of terrorism.

The Russian Defense Ministry emphasized that in the coming time, the combat operations of Russian military aircraft units stationed at the Hmeymin air base will be intensified and Russia will resume the use of Kalibr-NK cruise missiles against terrorist forces in Syria. Along with that, the time when the Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its deck forces will participate in the war in Syria will begin this August, not from October as originally planned.

Mi-35M helicopter shot down in Homs province.

Specific information about the Russian forces' operational plan in Syria was announced by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu at a meeting on July 11. However, specific information has not been released.

According to public information, the Mi-35M helicopter of the Russian Air-Space Defense Force was hit by a missile in Homs province, Syria on July 8, killing Major Ryafagat Habibullin and Lieutenant Evgenhi Dolgin. The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. Immediately after the attack, according to some sources, the crashed helicopter was a Mi-25 (export variant of the Mi-24 helicopter). However, based on images obtained from the attack, many experts believe that the helicopter that was shot down was a Mi-35M because of the easily recognizable sign that the aircraft's landing gear did not retract into the body while the aircraft was in the air.

Mi-35M helicopter in service with the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces.

Sources in Syria said that a Russian Mi-35M helicopter was hit by a US-made TOW anti-tank guided missile. The missile hit the tail of the aircraft, causing the Mi-35M to lose control, spin and crash.

According to Tass/qdnd