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Russia Says Shot Down Drones Near Syria Air Base


A Russian Su-24 bomber passes by a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Hmeimim military base.
A Russian Su-24 bomber passes by a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Hmeimim military base.

The Russian military says it has downed unidentified drones near its Hmeimim airbase in western Syria.

Russian news agencies quoted an air base spokesman as saying on July 1 that all the drones involved were destroyed by antiaircraft weapons.

The base was not damaged and no staff were injured during the incident, which occurred after dark on June 30, the spokesman said.

It apparently was the latest reported attack by drones on the base that serves as the main hub for Russian operations in Syria.

On May 22, the Russian military said it downed an unidentified drone approaching its Hmeimim air base.

In another attack on the base in January, the Russian military said it shot down seven of 13 drones involved and forced the others to land.

Russia has conducted a bombing campaign in Syria since September 2015, helping reverse the course of the country's seven-year civil war in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's favor.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax

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