Syria : an Airstrike avoided in the Hmeimim vicinity.
The Syrian official media reported, that the air defenses intercepted a drone in the vicinity of Hmeimim Air Force Base in Jableh, Lattakia countryside.
The Syrian News Agency, SANA, declared: “Anti-aircraft are responding to drones in the vicinity of Hmeimim base in Lattakia countryside.”
On January 20, Russian forces in Syria shot down fighter planes, which were launched towards Hmeimim Air Force Base, without causing any casualties.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement: “Air defense systems at the Russian air base have shot down air targets within a safe distance from the base.”
Russia has more than once announced that it has thwarted attack attempts against the Russian coordination center at Hmeimim Air Force Base with drones.
The Russian forces take “Hmeimim” as their main military base in Syria, and a headquarters for launching their operations on Syrian territory and in its airspace.
Russia signed an agreement with Syria in August 2015, granting the right to Russian military forces to use the Hmeimim base all the time for free and indefinitely.
One year after the Russian presence in Syria, Moscow announced its intention to expand the Hmeimim base, with the aim of converting it into a fully equipped military air base.