The Russian air group at the Khmeimim airbase now includes four Su-25 aircraft as part of a scheduled rotation, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Thursday.

The aircraft, equipped with modern navigation and sighting systems, “were really made part recently of the Russian air group,” Sputnik quoted Konashenkov as saying. He denied US media reports about an alleged increase of Russia’s military presence in Syria. The first group of six Sukhoi-24 bombers has been relocated to Russia from Khmeimim in Latakia, he said, adding that more aircraft will return home soon.