(VOVworld) – Moscow announced on Wednesday that its warplanes have begun air-raids on oil refinery infrastructure controlled by Islamic State in Syria.

Russian TU-22M3 long-range strategic bombers dropping OFAB-250-270 bombs at targets in Syria. ((Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense)

Senior lieutenant-general Andrei Kartapolov, a senior representative of the Russian Army’s General Staff, said 500 IS fuel trucks have already been destroyed by Russian forces over the past few days.

He said this has considerably reduced the militants' capability for illegally exporting energy resources and, consequently, for getting revenues from the contraband.

According to Kartapolov, Russian warplanes are also hunting down IS oil tanker trucks which transport oil from Syria to refineries in Iraq in what is a key part of IS financing.

Russia has increased all types of intelligence gathering in the Middle East via all available means, including satellite reconnaissance.