"Over the past two months, the larger territory has been liberated [from terrorists] than it had been under control of the Syrian government [before the Russian forces engagement]. As a matter of fact, we have made it 2.5 times larger than it has been. I mean the Syrian army with our support [has liberated the territories]," Shoigu said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV channel late on Saturday.
The defense minister added that the fight against the terrorists continued in Syria.
"Today we already can say that everyone is aimed and set for fighting Daesh [terror group outlawed in Russia]," Shoigu pointed out.
Since the beginning of the military conflict in Syria in 2011, Russia has been helping the Syrian government to fight against the various militant groups operating in the country, including ISIL.
SPUTNIK/MNA