During a meeting with top commanders of the Ministry of Defense, and after warning of possible provocations, Putin ordered them to respond harshly and destroy any target threatening the military forces and infrastructure in Syrian territory.
He said the ISIL represents a direct threat and warned of new provocations against the Russian forces in Syria, in the wake of the downing of a Su-24 bomber by a Turkish fighter plane in Syrian territory that caused the deaths of one of the pilots and one marine.
"I remind you that Russia's actions in Syria are dictated not by abstract geopolitical interests or the aspiration to try new armament, but by the need to reverse the threat to the Russian Federation," he stressed.
In this regard, he said additional measures have been adopted to guarantee the security of the troops and the bases in the Arab country with new means of antiaircraft defense and the coverage of flights by combat fighter planes.
Russia deployed in Syria batteries of S-40 antiaircraft systems besides long range strategic aviation.
During the meeting, Putin also ordered the military to establish cooperation with the forces of the international coalition led by the United States and with Israel to reinforce the security of flights over the Syrian airspace.
According to Putin, the Russian airspace forces are acting in coordination with the actions of the government troops and the Free Syrian Army, considered a moderate wing of the opposition that is fighting the terrorists and the ISIL.
hr/rma/lma/oda
PL-64/MNA
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