RNA - Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for New Challenges and Threats (DNCT) Dmitry Feoktistov said since the start of the country's anti-terrorism operation in Syria, the Russian warplanes have destroyed more than 3,000 gasoline tankers of the terrorists and over 200 plants processing and pumping oil products.
"It is possible to fight terrorism and the militants' sources of revenue by destroying their infrastructures, on the ground. Since the beginning of the operation in Syria, the Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed more than 3,000 gasoline tankers and over 200 plants for processing and pumping oil products," Feoktistov added.
In December, the Russian military said the county's warplanes carried out 71,000 airstrikes against terrorists' positions, killing at least 35,000 terrorists since the start of Russia's anti-terror campaign in Syria.
"Since the start of the operation, Russian jets have conducted 17,800 sorties, launching 71,000 strikes on terrorists' infrastructure, destroying 725 training camps, 405 plants producing ammunition, 1,500 pieces of terrorists' military equipment, and killing 35,000 militants, including 204 field commanders," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the time.
Russia began aerial operation against the terrorists in Syria in September 2015 at Syrian President Bashar Assad's request.
Shoigu also told reporters that the Russian Aerospace Force destroyed over 700 terrorist training camps in Syria during its campaign,
Some 9,000 militants surrendered themselves and laid down arms in Syria, the Russian defense minister said.
Russia's military campaign in Syria helped stop the spread of terrorism in the region and keep the country united, Shoigu said.
"In general, the operation in Syria allowed to solve a number of geopolitical problems: international terrorist organizations have been dealt a serious blow in Syria, their spread in the region has been stopped, the financial support of militant groups… has been disrupted, and the collapse of the Syrian state has been prevented," he said.
According to the defense minister, "the process of political settlement and reconciliation of warring parties has been launched in Syria. A total of 1074 settlements populated by some 3 million people have joined the ceasefire regime, while 108,000 refugees returned home; 9,000 militants laid down arms."
On September 30, 2015 Russian bombers conducted their first strikes against terrorist targets in Syria, hitting ISIL positions near the cities of Homs and Hama.
Although Russia annihilated tens of thousands of terrorists in Syria, the country also suffered military losses.
By that time the US-led coalition had been already active in Syria for over a year. Yet Russia became the only state which received an official request from Bashar Assad to carry out air strikes in the country. The Russian fighter jets are operating from the Humeimim air base located in Lattakia province.
During its mission, the Russian Air Force aided the Syrian army in liberating one of the country’s key cities and a world heritage site, Palmyra (Tadmur) in Homs province.
The ancient city had been under the control of ISIL since May 2015 before it was retaken by Syrian government forces backed by Russian air raids in March this year. However, ISIL kicked off a large-scale operation on December 8, 2016, with thousands of forces in Homs province to take control of Palmyra, and finally managed to capture the city on December 11.
On March 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of the majority of Russian warplanes and personnel from Syria, stressing that the major part of the operation in Syria was over.
"I believe that the objectives with which the Defense Ministry has been tasked have been largely reached," Putin said, adding that "Therefore, starting with tomorrow I order the withdrawal of the main part of our military from the Syrian Republic."
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