On the diplomatic front, Russia has mounted a firm defence of its air strikes in Syria.<br /><br /> President Vladimir Putin told a cabinet meeting that the action was legal under international law and fully supported by the Syrian government. <br /><br /> Sentiments echoed at the United Nations by his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.<br /><br /> “The Russian Ministry of Defence presented a full report on what was hit and what was the targets. We targeted ISIL associated depots, armaments and sites. We would be coordinating with the Syrian army and that is, I think, commonplace, recognised everywhere that airstrikes alone will not solve the problem.”<br /><br /> Lavrov also went on to say that the legal basis for US coalition air strikes was “really flawed.”
