Putin's onslaught against ISIS continues: Russian jets smash 27 jihadi hotspots overnight
RUSSIA'S onslaught against ISIS (Islamic State) has continued as their fighter jets hit 27 of the jihadis' hotspots in Syria overnight - including terrorist strongholds and training camps.
Russia's onslaught against ISIS in Syria continues with intensified airstrikes
Vladimir Putin's air force hit terrorist targets in the provinces of Homs, Hama and Raqqa, the defence ministry has said.
Syrian troops and allied militia were backed by the fresh wave of Russian bombings and cruise missiles as Bashar al-Assad's government extended a major offensive to recapture territory in western Syria.
The airstrikes are the latest in Russia's ruthless campaign in the war-torn country to destroy ISIS.
In a further display of force, the Russian defence ministry said missiles fired from its ships in the Caspian Sea hit ISIS weapons factories, arms dumps, command centres and training camps.
While, ground forces loyal to Assad targeted insurgents with heavy barrages of missiles in the Ghab Plain area in western Syria as Russian warplanes bombed from above, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
An assault launched by the Syrian army and its foreign allies on Wednesday in nearby areas of Hama province is said to be the first major assault coordinated between Assad's troops and Russian warplanes and naval ships.
Pictures from footage showing an airstrike against an ISIS facility
Moscow said on Wednesday its warships fired a barrage of missiles at Syrian targets from the Caspian Sea, passing a distance of almost 900 miles over Iran and Iraq to reach their targets.
Russian airstrikes ordered by Mr Putin have mainly focused in areas of western Syria, where Assad has sought to shore up control after losing swathes of the rest of the country to insurgents.
Airstrikes have devastated Syria's infrastructure
They shot cruise missiles from the Caspian sea without warning
Russian airstrikes were said to have hit 71 armoured vehicles, 30 other vehicles, 19 command facilities, 2 communication centres, 23 depots with fuel and ammunition, 6 plants used to make car bombs, several artillery pieces and training camps.
Russia's bombings have weakened the morale of militants and have sent thousands on the run, according to the country's defence ministry.
US defence secretary Ash Carter criticised Russia's unpredictable military action, saying that cruise missiles had been fired without giving any advanced notice.
Russia Airstrikes in Syria
He said: "We've seen increasingly unprofessional behaviour from Russian forces.
"They shot cruise missiles from the Caspian sea without warning."
Russia has also been blasted by the US and United Nations (UN) for violating Turkish airspace.
The US, which opposes Russia's backing of Syrian President Assad, has ruled out any military cooperation with Moscow in Syria.
Mr Putin is said to be poised to mobilise 150,000 reservists conscripted into the Russian army earlier this week.
Russia said it has hit 110 ISIS targets in just over a week yesterday