Putin orders military to be 'extremely tough' to protect Russian forces in Syria

[December 11, 2015]  MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered Russia's armed forces to act in an "extremely tough way" in Syria to protect Russian forces striking Islamic State targets there.

"Any targets threatening our (military) group or land infrastructure must be immediately destroyed," Putin said, speaking at a Defence Ministry event.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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