"On the 27th of July, the Russian Air Force detected and destroyed a UAV, launched from the territory under the control of illegal armed formations in the north of the province of Latakia heading towards the Russian air base Hmeymim," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a report, adding that the incident has not resulted in damages or casualties.
The ministry added that "the air target was destroyed by an anti-aircraft missile system [far from] the air base."
Earlier in July, the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation reported about several drones launched from a militant-controlled area heading toward the Hmeymim base.
READ MORE: Hmeymim Air Defenses Shoot Down Militant UAV in Syria — Russian MoD
Russian servicemen had been deployed in Syria in the fall of 2015 at the invitation of the Syrian government, which asked for Moscow's assistance in the fight against terrorism.
In December 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Daesh* had been defeated in Syria. Following the terror group's destruction, Russian President Putin proclaimed "victory over terrorists" and ordered a partial withdrawal of Russian forces from Syrian soil.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia
