A year of Russian airstrikes in Syria

One year ago President Vladimir Putin launched air strikes in Syria in support of long-time ally President Bashar al-Assad

Islamic State control

Kurd control/advances

U.S.-backed Syrian rebels

Coalition airbase

Russian airbase

Incirlik: U.S. base. A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, MQ-9 Reaper drones, AC-130 Spectre gunship. Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s

100 miles 160km

Med. Sea

Admiral Kuznetsov

CYPRUS RAF Akrotiri: Tornados, Typhoons. 16 combat aircraft

Khmeimim: Russian airbase with 50-plus aircraft. Sukhoi Su-24s, Su-25s, Su-34s. Mi-24 helicopter gunships and Mi-8 support helicopters, T-90 tanks, BTR-82s

Raqqa

TURKEY

Aleppo

SYRIA

Palmyra

Damascus

JORDAN

Muwaffaq Salti Air Base: F-16s from Jordanian, Belgian, Netherlands, Bahraini air forces, MQ-9 Reapers

Irbil: Apache attack helicopters, reconnaissance aircraft

Mosul

Qayyarah Air Base

Kirkuk

Baghdad

Al Asad U.S. special forces base

IRAQ

KUWAIT Ali Al Salem: 10 RAF MQ-9 Reapers

Persian Gulf: USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group, with F/A-18 Hornet warplanes,
deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve

Caspian Sea

Russian fleet

IRAN

Hamedan Air Base: Tupolev Tu-22MS bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter-bombers 

2014-16 Operation Inherent Resolve: U.S.-led coalition has conducted 15,310 airstrikes against IS in Syria and Iraq (Jun 15, 2014 to Sep 28, 2016)

Sep 30, 2015: Kremlin launches airstrikes from Khmeimim Air Base, against so-called Islamic State (IS). U.S.-backed rebel groups are also hit

Oct 7: Russian warships in Caspian Sea fire cruise missiles

Oct 20: Assad visits Moscow. Syrian president’s first official foreign visit since civil war erupted in 2011

Nov 14: Russia, U.S., France, and Iran meet in Vienna to agree timeline for peace plan

Nov 24: Turkish F-16s shoot down Russian Su-24 warplane

Feb 1, 2016: Syria and Russia launch offensive in Aleppo province

Mar 27: Syrian army, backed by Russian airstrikes, liberates ancient city of Palmyra from IS

Aug 16: Russia mounts airstrikes from Hamedan Air Base in Iran

Sep 19: Week-long truce collapses

Sep 21: Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov deployed to eastern Mediterranean

Sep 22: Syria and Russia launch blitz to retake rebel zones in Aleppo city using bunker-buster bombs

Sources: U.S. Central Command, IHS Conflict Monitor