24 January 2016, 11:44 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Media reports on a new Russian base in Syria may be an attempt to cover-up information about Turkey's deployment of a large group of troops to the Syrian border, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Monday.
"[Russia] has no 'new' airbases or additional 'stage' airfields for Russian warplanes in the Syrian Arab Republic, and has no plans to create them [in the future]," according to Konashenkov told journalists.
#SYRIA Defence Ministry refutes reports of Western media about intentions to deploy a new airbase near al-Qamishli https://t.co/0ckGpxFLE4
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 25 января 2016
Earlier The Times published a story claiming that Russia had plans of creating a new airbase in Syria.
"Rumors published by "The Times" newspaper on that issue is an amateurish farce or an attempt to cover up information about Turkey's deployment of a large group of troops to the Syrian border in the Qamishli district," Konashenkov said.
