Russia says its strikes have killed over 86,000 militants in Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia's strikes on terrorists in Syria have killed more than 86,000 militants and 830 gang leaders, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday, August 22, also publishing detailed information about the operations in Syria, Al-Masdar News says.

"A total of 830 gang leaders, more than 86,000 militants, including 4,500 immigrants from the Russian Federation and the CIS countries, were eliminated," according to a video posted on the ministry's YouTube channel.

The crisis in Syria started in 2011, when various opposition groups attempted to overthrow the Syrian President Bashar Assad during the Arab Spring riots. Russian military started the operation in the country in 2015 in order to stop civil war and help the internationally recognized government to fight radical militants, including those of the Daesh* terror group.

Russia has tested 231 types of the newest and modernized weapons during the operation in Syria, the ministry said on Wednesday.

"Ships and submarines of the Russian Navy carried out 100 strikes with sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles on the terrorists' targets. Strategic long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Force have carried out 66 strikes with air-launched cruise missiles," the ministry said adding that 166 targets have been hit.

According to the ministry's report, up to 70 unmanned aerial vehicles, such as Forpost and Orlan-10, perform flights in the Syrian skies every day. The ministry confirmed that the vehicles had carried out more than 25,000 reconnaissance flights and detected some 47,500 enemy targets.

In total, according to the report, the Russian forces have tested 231 types of the newest and modernized weapons during the operation in Syria.