Russian Military Adviser Killed in Militant Attack in Syria

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that a Russian military adviser has been killed in an attack staged by militants and targeting the Syrian military in Hama province.

The ministry said Nikolay Afanasov was serving in Syria as a member of the Russian military advisers’ mission and was tasked with training Syrian ground forces, RT reported.

It is not the first time that a Russian officer has been killed in a terrorist attack in the Syrian conflict.

On May 2, another Russian military advisor, identified as Lt. Col. Aleksey Buchelnikov, was fatally shot in a gunbattle with militants in Syria. The unit he was training came under fire from terrorist snipers.

On April 20, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the death of major Sergey Bordov, who was stationed in Syria, advising local army units on how to protect their towns from terrorist attack.

On April 11, it was reported that two Russian military instructors had been killed and one soldier injured as they came under mortar shelling by a group of militants.

Russian strategic bombers conducted strikes on ISIL targets in Syria last Wednesday, using modern X-101 strategic cruise missiles. Several weapon stockpiles and a terrorist command center were destroyed in the strike.

Russian Air Force Tu-95MS strategic bombers have conducted strikes on ISIL positions near the border of Syrian Hama and Homs provinces on Wednesday, the Russian military said in a statement.

“Three large weapon and ammunition stockpiles alongside with a command center near the town of Aqayrabat were destroyed in the strike, which was confirmed by objective control measures,” the statement added.

The newest Russian X-101 airborne strategic missiles were used in the strike. While the effective range of the missiles is up to 4,500km, the strikes were conducted from a range of around 1,000km.

The Tu-95MS bombers took off from an airbase near the Southern Russian city of Engels and made their way to Syria after airborne refueling.

Su-30SM fighter aircrafts, based at the Humeimim Air Base in Syria, provided support and cover to the strategic bombers.

All aircraft have returned to their bases after successfully completing the mission, according to the Russian military.

Missiles of this type can be fitted with nuclear warheads, after which they receive the X-102 designation.