Moscow/Beirut: Russia suffered the biggest single loss of life of its 10-monthlong mission in Syria when it said five people died in a military helicopter that was shot down after delivering aid. “Those on board the helicopter, as far as we know from information received from the defence ministry, were killed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call Monday. The crew “died as heroes” because they sought to avoid people on the ground as their craft crashed, he said. Three crew and two officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria were on board, the ministry said. Russia has used Mi-8 helicopters to drop 500 food kits to people in areas of Aleppo controlled by armed groups, the defence ministry said on its website on Sunday.

Source: Mint August 01, 2016 14:37 UTC