Russian view of airstrikes in Syria

Russia's view is that airstrikes in Syria should not take place without the consent of the government of Syria.  From RT, the official Russian news outlet:

RT

Updated 01:19 a.m. Moscow time.

MOSCOW, September 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said that airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria should not be conducted without consent of Syrian government, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

"Vladimir Putin and Ban Ki-moon have exchanged opinions on efforts of the international community joined against the 'Islamic State' group. Russian side emphasized, that airstrikes against the Islamic State terrorists' bases, located on the territory of Syria, should not be conducted without the consent of Syrian government," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has been fighting against Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq, declaring a caliphate on the territories over which it had control.

Earlier in September, US President Barack Obama has announced the formation of an international coalition to fight the IS militants and authorized US airstrikes against IS targets in Syria, while continuing airstrikes in Iraq, which the United States began in August.

Note that Russia has a naval base at Tartus, near where the bombing is taking place.  The naval facility is Russia's only direct naval access to the Atlantic, and the Syrian government i an ally of Russia's.

Still, it is curious that Russia has not persuaded Syri to permit it to bomb ISIS.  Russia is no friend to Arab jihadists.