We have more exclusive photographs for you, this time (a first for us) showing a Russian "advisor" actively engaged in combat.

The photographs show clashes east of the Syrian cities of Hama and Homs, where ISIS has been continuously harassing villages across the line of control with mortar fire. Two weeks ago it also raided the village of Aqarib and massacred 52 of its civilian inhabitants.

Now the Syrian army, with Russian help (as you can see below), wants to push back and eradicate ISIS in this area. The ultimate goal is to collapse the entire ISIS pocket north of Palmyra. Of course, liberating such a big chunk of territory might take some time.

Here is a Russian soldier in the perhaps most recognizably Russian/Soviet camouflage pattern of them all. The so called berezka (the diminutive of birch) camo. The pattern dates back to 1988.

A close look will reveal the Russian advisor is wearing sneakers rather than boots. It's a violation of military regulations but one which is actually rather widespread in the Russian tradition. Russian troops could be frequently seen wearing sneakers in Afghanistan in the 1980s and Chechnya and Tajikistan in the 1990s. Some Soviet veterans claim use of sneakers was so widespread in that conflict that military photographers were given instructions to take photos showing soldiers from the knees up.

The "advisor" doing more than just advising here.