On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry revealed in a statement that about 40 Daesh militants had been destroyed by the Russian Aerospace Forces near the northeastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor.
"After confirming the information [on the Daesh leaders' meeting near Deir ez-Zor], two Russia's Aerospace Forces Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft were scrambled from Hmeymim Air Base to make a pinpoint strike with bunker busting bombs," according to the statement.
Commenting on the matter, Leonid Ivashov, head of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, a Moscow-based think tank, said that "it should be noted that both we and the Syrian government forces have learned to fight in modern conditions."
"And the fact that the information [on the Daesh commanders' meeting was obtained] indicates that an effective intelligence network has been established [in Syria], including directly in the camp of terrorist organizations," Ivashov said.
He added that the destruction of a Daesh command post and the terrorist group's warlords disrupted the terrorists' system of control over their military operations.
"First and foremost, [the terrorists'] means of communication have been obliterated. As for the destruction of Daesh commanders, it typically provides a rather [pronounced] impact on the moral and psychological stability of the militants, almost causing them to panic," Ivashov said.
According to him, the slain Daesh warlords had extensive experience in organizing and conducting military operations against Syrian government troops, and also possessed a large amount of classified information.
"I believe that their destruction is one of the key factors, if not the most important one, [in the lead-up to] taking Deir ez-Zor," Ivashov said, drawing attention to information that "the American coalition reportedly evacuated a number of Daesh commanders from this Syrian city."
He suggested that "the terrorists' defense will now show signs of disruption" and that "resistance will be chaotic there rather than organized."
Ivashov also predicted that the next few weeks will see "only separate centers of resistance among terrorist suicide bombers in Syria."
He was echoed by Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko, who told Sputnik that "the destruction of Daesh's top-level commanders means that the spirit and will of the enemy will be undermined.
"The destruction of 'the Daesh war minister' and 'the sharif of Deir ez-Zor" is an important strategic victory for Russia and the Syrian army in the fight against international terrorism, as well as a serious psychological and military blow to Daesh," Korotchenko said.
On Tuesday, the Syrian army, assisted by Russia, managed to finally break the three-year Daesh siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor. Food and ammunition had only been delivered to the city by air, while helicopters from the city of Qamishli had been evacuating the wounded and delivering essential supplies to the city's population.
The Russian strikes were conducted simultaneously by air units and a warship, which destroyed fortified Daesh areas, underground tunnels, artillery positions and ammunition depots near Deir ez-Zor.
