MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov explained on Wednesday the objectives of the Russian operation in Syria to the Uzbek foreign minister, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said in a statement.
During his visit to Uzbekistan, Antonov had a meeting with the country's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov.
“Anatoly Antonov, at the request of Abdulaziz Komilov, explained the aims and the characteristics of the military operation being conducted by the Russian Armed Forces in Syria,” according to the statement.
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-25, Su-24M and Su-34 attack aircraft, with the support of Su-30 jets, commenced precision airstrikes against the targets of the Islamic State (ISIL) militant group in Syria on September 30, following a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Aerospace Forces have conducted 112 airstrikes, destroying around 40 percent of IS infrastructure without hitting civilian sites. All of the Russian airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria were preceded by preliminary air surveillance missions and were based on intelligence provided by the Syrian military that was verified by Russia.
