Russia fires cruise missiles at IS targets in Syria

(Baonghean.vn) – On May 31, Russian officials announced that a Russian warship and a submarine had fired cruise missiles at Islamic State (IS) targets around Syria’s Palmyra area from the Mediterranean Sea, marking the first time such attacks had been carried out in months.

Missiles destroy heavy military weapons and IS fighters. Photo: RT

In a statement, the Russian military said the frigate Admiral Essen and the submarine Krasnodar had carried out four strikes against heavy military equipment and IS fighters who had left their stronghold of Raqa for Palmyra. “All targets were hit,” the statement said, without specifying when the strikes took place.

Moscow officials said the US, Turkish and Israeli militaries “were informed in a timely manner about the missile launches through existing communication channels.”

Russia fires cruise missiles at IS targets in Syria from the Mediterranean. Photo: RT

The Kremlin said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had briefed President Vladimir Putin on the successful strikes.

Russia has been conducting air strikes in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2015 and has deployed a naval flotilla to the eastern Mediterranean to bolster its firepower. But Moscow has not announced any attacks from the sea in recent months as it focuses on brokering a fragile ceasefire between the government and rebels.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)