Russian Air Force started to bomb the crude oil processing and drilling facilities in Syria. Starting from the beginning of the week, the aircraft operating from the Hmejmim airbase reportedly destroyed more than 500 tank trucks which were transporting the crude oil from Syria to Iraq.
Russian Ministry of Defence announced that it has initiated an air offensive against the oil-carrying convoys and against the oil drilling facilities. Crude oil storage facilities and distribution points were also targeted. Moreover, video clips from the onboard systems of the Russian jets have been published, showing the process of destruction related to refineries and large groups of tank-trucks, belonging to the “groups of extremists operating in Syria” - as the official release reads. Most probably, the above refers to the sorties directed against all of the crude oil facilities that are not controlled by the Al-Assad’s regime.
At the same time, the Russian Air Force is operating against the targets that present military value which were being attacked so far. These targets include the fortified positions of the rebels, equipment storages, warehouses and military convoys, as well as command points, artillery positions and combat vehicles. The operations, above all, are directed against the forces which are directly involved in combat against the governmental units.
On 18th November, the Russian Air Force conducted – in total – 127 combat sorties, out of which 98 were realized by the Su-24, Su-25 and Su-34 aircraft, stationed at the Hmejmim airbase. Five Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers, operating from Russia, have been used to launch 34 cruise missiles, in order to neutralize strategic targets in the Aleppo, Idlib and Deir ez-Zor districts. Tu-22M3 bombers have been used to conduct conventional bombing runs against 12 targets in the Rakki and Deir ez-Zor areas.