Defense Ministry: as a result of attack by fighters of the air base Hamim, two soldiers were killed
The Department also said that reports about the destruction by militants of seven aircraft at the airbase on 31 December are not true.
MOSCOW, January 4. /TASS/. Two soldiers were killed on 31 December as a result of mortar shelling of the air base Hamim in Syria. This was reported on Thursday in the Ministry of defence.
“31 December 2017 with the onset of night time airfield Hamim has undergone a sudden mortar attack mobile sabotage groups of militants. In result of firing two soldiers were killed”, — stated in the message.
While the defense Ministry said that information about the destruction by militants of seven aircraft at an air base in Syria Hamim 31 December are not true.
“Message “Kommersant” about the allegedly “actual destruction” of seven Russian military aircraft on the base Hamim — fake. The Russian air group in Syria combat-ready and continue to perform all their tasks in full”, — told in the defense Ministry.
As earlier wrote “Kommersant” with reference to sources, on December 31 militants in Syria one of the terrorist groups fired from mortars at the base Hamim, the result of which was destroyed four bombers su-24, two su-35S, one transport An-72 and an ammunition dump. According to the newspaper, could suffer more than ten soldiers.
On 3 January the Ministry of defense reported that on 31 December the Russian Mi-24 crashed due to technical fault while performing a flight on the airfield of Hama in Syria, killing both pilots. While the Russian defense Ministry said that “the impact of fire on the Mi-24 was not.”