No ground operations in Syria: Russian Foreign Ministry
October 8, 2015, 3:23 pm

Russia has intensified the airstrikes it began in Syria last week [Image: Russian Defense Ministry]

“Despite our efforts, the myth of Russia’s alleged plans of a ground operation in Syria continues to exists,” Zakharova said.

“I’d like to separately address such media outlets as CNN and the New York Times: if you are making such statements and quoting some anonymous sources, do be so kind and publish our comments that such operations are not being planned,” she said.

“I think the stories quoting anonymous sources in the Pentagon should quote anonymous sources in Moscow,” she added.

A New York Times report said this week that “American military officials said they believed that more than 600 Russian military personnel were already on the ground in Syria”.

In the early hours of October 8, Russian aircraft performed 22 sorties, destroying 27 ISIL facilities in Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Thursday during a briefing in Moscow.

The Ministry claimed that Russian aircrafts delivered airstrikes against 11 ISIL training camps in Syria’s Hama and Raqqa provinces. In addition, Russian Su-25, Su-34 jets attacked 8 militant sites in Homs province.

The Russian Defense Ministry is ready to discuss any constructive proposals with Western governments regarding the fight against Islamic State, Konashenkov stressed.

Since September 30 Russia has been carrying airstrikes on terror facilities belonging to Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria, at the request of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

Western countries along with Saudi Arabia and Turkey are also engaged in a parallel bombing campaign in Syria but differ with Moscow on the future of Syrian President Assad.

TBP and Agencies