“Just in the first few days, [Russian] aviation destroyed about 500 fuel tankers. This greatly hampered the militants’ possibility to illegally export energy resources and, accordingly, their income from oil smuggling.”
According to Kartapolov, Russian attack aircraft have started an “open season” on terrorists’ fuel trucks carrying oil products.
“I would like to note that today a decision was made, according to which Russian combat aircraft launched a so-called free hunt on road tankers transporting oil products belonging to terrorists in areas controlled by ISIL.”
Russia has widened the scope of intelligence gathering in the Middle East by all available means, including satellite reconnaissance, he said.
“In order to improve the efficiency and timeliness of detection of terrorist facilities and to ensure the precision of determining their coordinates, we have stepped up all methods of intelligence gathering in the Middle East, including satellite reconnaissance.”
The Russian Aerospace Forces have carried out 59 sorties and hit 149 ISIL targets on Wednesday by 4 p.m. Moscow time (13:00 GMT), Kartapolov said.
Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers launched 12 cruise missiles on ISIL targets in Syria’s provinces of Aleppo and Idlib and destroyed three terrorist command centers as well as two ammunition depots and a field camp.”Tu-160 strategic bombers carried out 12 launches of cruise missiles on ISIL targets in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib from the territory of the Russian Federation at 09:00-09:10.”
According to the General Staff, Russian jets carried out a major strike on ISIL targets in the provinces of Raqqa, Deir Ezzur, Aleppo and Idlib.
The overall number of sorties scheduled for Wednesday is 100, Russian aircraft are supposed to hit 190 ISIL targets.
“Airstrikes continue in accordance with the approved plan. To ensure the safety of the flight, the international coalition is being notified in advance of the time of the strikes and flight corridors of aircraft.”
Russia hits 206 ISIS targets in Syria after confirming bomb downed passenger plane over Sinai
