(VOVworld) – The Russian Defense Ministry has rejected rumors of setting up another military base at Shayrat military airfield in Syria’s Homs province.

Su-24 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces at the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Photo: Dmitriy Vinogradov / Sputnik

Major General Igor Konashenkov, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said it takes only a 30-40 minute flight to reach the furthest Syrian location from the Khmeimim military airfield, so there is no need to establish a new base.
He said foreign media spread the rumor to distract the public from an action by Turkey that Russian President Vladimir Putin described as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists".

On Tuesday, Russia targeted the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, cruise missiles launched from a submarine in the Mediterranean Sea.