Russia Launches Syria Submarine Strikes
Russian media reports that a Russian diesel-electric submarine operating submerged in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday launched Kalibr cruise missiles at Islamic State terrorists’ (ISIL) vital facilities for first time in Syria.
Agence France-Presse, citing Russian news agencies, reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the military had launched strikes in Syria for the first time from a submarine stationed in the Mediterranean.
The 3M-54 Kalibr missiles were launched from the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine “Rostov-on-Don”, Defense Minister told President Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s warships based in the Caspian and Mediterranean seas launched similar missiles targeting ISIL Takfiri group (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) positions in late November. This is the first time that Russia has targeted ISIL in Syria from a submarine.
“[The missiles] targeted two major terrorist positions in the territory of Raqqa,” he said.
“We can say with absolute confidence that significant damage has been inflicted upon ammunition warehouses and a mine production plant, as well as the oil infrastructure.”
Russian Defense Ministry press service and information department said: "Russia's Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bombers stationed at the Mozdok airfield, the aviation group's aircraft stationed at the Hmeimim airfield and a submarine deployed in the Mediterranean Sea have delivered a massive missile and air strike on the sites of ISIL and other extremist organizations in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic."
Russia launched a bombing campaign in Syria on September 30, saying it needed to target ISIL extremists -- but the West has accused Moscow of seeking to prop up Assad's regime and hitting moderate rebels.
Ships with the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla fired off 3M-14 submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM) on IS’s infrastructure in Syria on October 7 and November 20. The Caspian-based ships launched a total of 44 missiles - 26 on October 7 and 18 on November 20.
Obviously, the targets engaged by the Kalibr missiles could have been wiped out by the Russian air task force deployed in Hmeimim air base in Syria’s Latakia province. Thus, it is probable enough that the operation against the extremist groups in Syria is running concurrently with the testing of cutting-edge Russian precision-guided munitions in combat.
