Russia Navy launches missiles against ISIS from Caspian Sea

Middle East, News October 7, 2015 , by IRIA 1 Comment

Russia has launched a naval bombardment aimed at ISIS targets in Syria from the Caspian Sea, a senior Russian official said, ramping up a newly muscular presence in the Middle East.

“Four missile ships launched 26 cruise missiles at 11 targets. According to objective control data, all the targets were destroyed. No civilian objects sustained damage,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting.

Shoigu said the strikes were launched from Russia’s fleet in the Caspian Sea using precise long-range missiles that flew 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) to their targets.

“Intensive work of different intelligence services over the last two days has made it possible to detect a large number of various (Islamic State) facilities — command posts, ammunition depots, military equipment depots, training camps of militants,” Shoigu said, according to TASS.

He said 112 Islamic State targets have been hit since Sept. 30, when Russian warplanes began airstrikes in Syria. The U.S. military has challenged the Russian claims, saying at least half of the strikes have targeted moderate opposition forces fighting Assad.

Russia said it was willing to cooperate with the United States in carrying out attacks in Syria. However, speaking to reporters in Rome, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called the Russian campaign of airstrikes in Syria a “fundamental mistake”, adding that the United States was not ready to cooperate with Russia on operations in Syria.

However, President Vladmir Putin later said it was too early to address the results of Russian military actions in Syria, and ordered Mr Shoigu to continue co-operating with the US, Turkey Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iran on the conflict.