The operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces (ASF) in Syria is necessary for protection of the Russian people against terrorism, as the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated in an interview with the TV channel “Russia 24”. “We protect the people of Russia against the threat of terrorism, because it is better to do this abroad than to fight terrorism inside the country” – Medvedev noted.

      He recalled that Russia had a “very hard experience in fighting terrorism in the past 20 years”. According to him, the outcome of the conflict in Syria should become the negotiations of the country’s authorities and the opposition “in order to develop proposals about the future of Syria”.

      On September 30th Russian Aerospace Forces (ASF) began pinpoint strikes on the objects of the terrorist group “Islamic State” (IS) in Syria which is prohibited in Russia.

      The operations began after the Russian President Vladimir Putin had received the mandate of the Federation Council on the use of the Armed Forces abroad Russia. The appeal for rendering military assistance to counter the Islamic State was received by Moscow from the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.