VIDEO First footage of Russian planes in Syria

French TF1 published footage of Russian planes at the airport in Latakia. The footage shows planes parked next to the airport and covered with green tarpaulins, reports the Patria News Agency.

Syria received new fighter and reconnaissance aircraft from Russia in recent days to fight the Islamic State (IS), sources from the Syrian army stated.

-Our air force took delivery of at least five fighter jets from Moscow, as well as a reconnaissance aircraft that allows us to spot targets with high precision, a high-ranking Syrian official confirmed in a statement to AFP.

The same source said that the planes arrived last Friday at a military base in the Syrian province of Latakia, the traditional stronghold of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Yesterday, NATO General Philip Breedlove said he was concerned about the strengthening of Russian military forces in Syria. Breedlove said that Russia had sent much more advanced weapons to Syria than those needed to fight the Islamic State, with the aim of protecting President Bashar el-Assad, AFP reported.

"These are sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons," Breedlove said, adding that he had not seen Islamic State members flying planes for which such missiles would be needed to shoot them down.