Since the beginning of the operation in Syria in September 2015 Russia’s aerospace group has flown 30,000 sorties to have wiped out 62,000 terrorist targets in Syria, the deputy chief of Russia’s General Staff, first deputy chief of the Aerospace Force Pavel Kurachenko said.

“As at December 20, 2016 the Aerospace Force has carried out more than 30,000 sorties to have eliminated more than 62,000 military targets,” Kurachenko told a conference of the extra-departmental council of experts for aerospace issues.

Russia launched an operation to furnish air support for the Syrian army in its war on terrorists on September 30, 2015 at the request of President Bashar Assad.

On March 14, 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pullout of the bulk of the Russian military contingent from Syria, as the Defense Ministry’s main tasks had been accomplished.