Russia has recently turned part of the Syrian desert city of Palmyra into a military base to use as an ‘operation room’ to target terror group in the war-torn country.

AFP’s Andrey Borodulin released a video showing the recently-established, fully-fenced base where the sophisticated Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft system was deployed.

Pantsir-S1 is a combined short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system. It represents the latest air defence technology by using phased array radars for both target acquisition and tracking.

The Russian forces supporting the Syrian President Bashar Assad’ government have been stationing in Hmeymim airbase, to the south of coastal city of Latakia.

Analysts say the newly-built base deep in the Syrian desert well indicates Russian’s intention to expand its military operation eastward to the ISIS’ de facto capital of Raqqa and the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor.

Although no Russian fighter jets have been spotted in the city’s military airport so far, it is widely expected that Palmyra skies will be jammed with the roaring SUs and MIs.

Russian airstrikes considerably helped the Syrian Army liberate Palmyra from ISIS in late March.