The Russian Federation has deployed four Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft to Syria, Fox News reported, citing two U.S. officials.
“[The Russians] say they are pulling out, but we have seen no evidence to support that. On the contrary, we have seen new things coming in,” the report said.
At the beginning of 2017, more than thirty Russian military aircraft are still in Syria, about the same number as in December 2016.
The Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft has been in service in many conflicts provided by Russia during more than 30 years. It is used to attack targets on the ground with greater precision than strategic bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense.
On 9 February 2015, the Russian militants used Su-25 against Ukrainian forces during the fighting near Debaltsevo in Donbas.
In September 2015, a dozen Su-25 were deployed by Russia to an airfield near Latakia, Syria. By 15 March 2016 Russian Su-25s had performed over 1,600 sorties in Syria while dropping 6,000 bombs.
See also: Russia establishes its S-400 and S-300 missile complexes in Syria
