General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation announced on Monday that the mi- 6 helicopter, which was targeted by terrorists in Idleb countryside on today, dropped on an area where Jabhat al-Nusra and the so-called moderate opposition are present.

Chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operations’ Department Sergey Rudskoy said that the helicopter was downed while it was in its way back after performing a humanitarian mission of delivering food and medicines to the locals in Aleppo.

The Russian military official said that investigations are underway to determine the fate of the five Russian servicemen who were on board the helicopter, pointing out that they were killed according to initial information.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed earlier on Monday that a crew of three members in addition to two officers from the Russian Coordination Center in Hmeimeem was on board.

Rudskoy said that the Syrian troops, backed by the Russian warplanes, thwarted an attack of about 5000 terrorists on positions for the Syrian Army near Aleppo on Sunday, noting that four suicide attacks were carried out by the terrorists.

He added that the operation ended up with the killing of more than 800 terrorists, destroying 14 tanks and 10 tankers for terrorists and more than 60 vehicles loaded with arms.

Rudskoy affirmed that despite the great losses, terrorists’ leaders continue mobilizing reserve members from other fronts and prevent civilians from getting out of the clashes regions and use them as human shields, pointing out that the terrorists on Sunday killed four civilians in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo who tried to leave the city through the corridors which were identified for locals to get out of the eastern neighborhoods.

Rudskoy pointed out that ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists and other factions affiliated to them from the so-called moderate opposition continue their frequent attacks against the Syrian troops in Aleppo in order to besiege the city, noting that during last week alone they carried out four suicide bombings.

Regarding the ongoing humanitarian operations in Aleppo, Rudskoy renewed readiness to cooperate with all parties to deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo and not to allow the entry of arms to terrorists.