About 7,000 natives of Russia and CIS are fighting on the side of the "Islamic State" (IS, aka ISIL or ISIS), said Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State.
"I'd like to highlight the increased urgency of cooperation in combating international terrorism and as part of our community," RIA Novosti quoted Putin as saying Oct. 16.
"According to various estimates, 5,000 to 7,000 natives of Russia and other CIS countries are already fighting on the side of the ISIL," he said.
Putin added that those people can't be allowed to use the Syrian experience back in their countries.
Meanwhile, he noted that Russia's Aerospace Forces have already achieved significant results in Syria.
"Dozens of control centers and ammunition warehouses, and hundreds of terrorists and a large number of military hardware have been destroyed," said Putin. "At the same time, we continue to stand for creation of the widest possible coalition against extremists and terrorists."