Putin orders military to destroy targets threatening Russian forces in Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, December 11, vowed to further modernize Russia's military and said that its forces in Syria will "immediately destroy" any target threatening them, a strong warning to Turkey following its shoot-down of a Russian warplane at the Syrian border, the Associated Press reports.

Putin also said that while supporting the Syrian government forces, Russia has provided air cover, weapons and supplies to some units of the Free Syrian Army, a Western-backed opposition group fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad's army.

If confirmed, it will represent a major policy shift for Moscow, which has been accused by the West of striking moderate rebels instead of its declared goal, the Islamic State group.

Speaking at a meeting with the top military brass, Putin named "strengthening of the combat potential of strategic nuclear forces and the implementation of space defense programs" as a key priority. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the military has received 35 intercontinental ballistic missiles this year and put forward equally ambitious weapons modernization plans for next year despite Russia's economic downturn.

Without naming Turkey, Putin said the military should respond in full force to any further "provocations." He said the Russian military base in Syria has been beefed up with additional aircraft and air defense weapons.

"I order you to act in the toughest way," Putin said. "Any targets threatening the Russian groups of forces or our land infrastructure should be immediately destroyed."

At the same time, he said that the military should cooperate with the U.S.-led coalition and Israel to ensure flight safety.

Putin claimed Friday that along with supporting the Syrian army, Russia has also provided air cover for some units of the opposition Free Syrian Army in the provinces of Homs, Hama, Aleppo and Raqqa.

"We have provided air support for them as well as the Syrian army and also supplied them with weapons, ammunition and supplies," Putin said.