Russia downs another hostile drone approaching Khmeimim air base in Syria
Russian air defenses in Syria have shot down yet another unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, that was approaching the Khmeimim air base from terrorist-controlled territory, the military has said.
Shooting down hostile drones has become somewhat of a routine for the Russian forces stationed in Syria’s Latakia province. Over the past month the Russian air defenses have neutralized at least 25 drones approaching Khmeimim armed with various types of explosives.
On Thursday, yet another UAV was spotted on approach, and the target was successfully shot down by the air defense systems at a safe distance from the base, the head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria confirmed.
“Russia’s Khmeimim air base operates as normal,” Maj. Gen. Alexei Tsygankov said. “There were no injuries or damage.”
While Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists have been almost completely driven out of Syria by the Arab army with the help of Russian air power, small pockets of jihadi resistance from various armed militant cells still operate in the war-torn country. In an apparent effort to intimidate the Russian contingent in Latakia province, militants continue futile attempts to send drones towards the base, which Moscow defends with multi-layer anti-air capabilities.
Moscow and Damascus have repeatedly pointed out that the remaining ISIS presence in Syria centers in the US-controlled areas, while those liberated by Syrian government forces areas are slowly recovering and joining the statewide reconciliation effort.
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