MOSCOW. May 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The terrorist group ISIL banned in Russia had its Syrian positions struck with cruise missiles capable of engaging a target within thousands of kilometers.
"During the combat operation our aviation used a wide spectrum of airborne weapons, including guided air bombs with various guidance systems, as well as air-launched cruise missiles with a launch range of up to 4,500 kilometers," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said in an interview published in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday.
Almost all types and kinds of modern weapons have been trialed in Syria, Borisov said. "These are primarily [Sukhoi] Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters, Su-34 fighter-bombers, Su-24M frontline bombers, Su-25SM attack aircraft, [Tupolev] Tu-22MZ and Tu-95MS long-range aircraft, [Kamov] Ka-52 and [Mil] Mi-24, Mi-35 and Mi-28 helicopters," Borisov said.
As well as the aviation, the counter-terrorist operation actively involved warships, including the guided missile cruisers Varyag and Moskva, the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, Project 21631 small missile ships and Project 636.3 submarines which successfully used the available arsenal against the enemy's ground targets, Borisov said.
"Our naval grouping is monitoring sea waters off the Syrian ports of Tartous and Latakia," Borisov said.
S-300, S-400 and Pantsir-S air defense systems are successfully providing air support for Russia's naval supply base and air base in Khmeimim, the deputy minister said.
"In addition, the combat operation involved trialing the latest communications, reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems and Ratnik individual soldier gear, including modern types of small arms. The mission in Syria also actively uses a grouping of Russian space weapons," Borisov said.
"The special operation uses not only serial models of weapons, but also the prospective ones currently at the stage of design and testing," Borisov said.
The results of the special operation in Syria are the most substantial proof of the high efficiency of Russian weapons and military and special hardware, including of their use in complicated and unusual (for Russia) climate conditions, the deputy defense minister said.