Upping the ante: Russia 'to send MORE jets to Syria after jet pilot shot out of the sky'

RUSSIA is set to 12 more fighter jets to Syria to ensure there is no repeat of the incident which saw a fighter jet shot down by Turkey.

By Patrick Maguire

PUBLISHED: 05:59, Thu, Nov 26, 2015

REUTERS

Express  

Russia is stepping up its efforts to destroy ISIS

President Vladimir Putin, an ally of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, is said to be considering sending extra cover for the 24 bombers already based in the war-torn country after one of its jets was downed yesterday.
The aircraft’s captain was shot dead by Turkmen rebels as he parachuted to the ground – but his co-pilot was rescued after a 12-hour operation by Russian special forces in Syria.
A Russian defence spokesman has now announced that all Russian bombers operating in Syria will fly only under the cover of fighter aircraft.
Their statement read: ”Now each of the 24 [Russian] bombers will be accompanied by a fighter.”
Turkey claimed it did not know the warplane it blew out of the sky for apparently entering its airspace was Russian.

EPA

A Russian jet was shot down by Turkey this week

Its military claimed it was following the same protocol it would have for any jet crossing into its airspace, but insisted it was unaware of the nationality of the bomber jet.
The Russian military began conducting airstrikes against the jihadist terror group in September.
A Kremlin defence spokesman announced yesterday that a staggering 472 key ISIS holdings had been destroyed – including an oil refinery in the terror group’s stronghold of Raqqa.
It is the latest escalation in a campaign which was stepped up after ISIS blew up an airliner over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula in October, killing all 224 people on board.

GETTY

Russian soldiers write on bombs destined for ISIS

GETTY

Putin inspects screens in his multi-million pound wardrobe

Speaking at the time, Putin said: "Our military work in Syria must not only continue. It must be strengthened in such a way so that the terrorists will understand that retribution is inevitable."
Moscow further ramped up its bid to wipe out the twisted militants since last Friday's massacre in Paris.
Islamic State terrorists brutally killed 130 people – including Briton Nick Alexander – and left hundreds more injured across the French capital.
Russian ground crews last week inscribed the words "for Paris" on a bomb later dropped on ISIS targets.
Reports earlier this week suggested the sick terror group is believed to have just 34 bases left as bombers continue to blitz its jihadists.