RUSSIAN JETS hit targets in Syria for a second day yesterday, as Moscow dismissed reports of civilian casualties.

Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Russia’s air force had hit four Islamic State (Isis) targets, in addition to eight on Wednesday, destroying a command centre and two arms depots.

Syrian rebel groups were quick to claim that the Russian air strikes had killed over 30 civilians in the city of Homs, allegations repeated by Western mainstream media.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin retorted: “The first reports about civilian casualties emerged even before our planes got in the air.

“Other nations have been bombing Syrian territory for over a year” with no mandate from Damascus or the United Nations, Mr Putin pointed out.

“We have such an invitation and we intend to fight against terrorist organisations and them only,” he added.

One photograph of a man carrying an injured child — presented as evidence of civilian casualties — was quickly discredited when it was shown to have been used just five days before to support similar accusations against the Syrian air force.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariya Zakharova dismissed “biased and false” Western reporting, calling it “information warfare.”

Speaking at the UN in New York, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow saw “eye to eye” with Washington on fighting terrorism in Syria.

But Mr Lavrov said Russia would keeps its war on Isis within Syria’s border since it had no mandate from neighbouring Iraq.

“We are polite people, we don’t come if not invited,” he said.

The US and France indicated that they were ready for multilateral talks to end the Western-backed four-year civil war that has killed 50,000 people and displaced nine million.

But there was disagreement over the participants, with the US opposing the involvement of EU nations.

An aide to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with Russia Today television that Russia’s intervention would bring peace and stability to her country.

Political and media adviser Bouthaina Shaaban accused the US and its allies of looking “to destroy our countries in order to destroy our civilisation, in order to destroy our people.”

By contrast, she said Russia was “committed to international legitimacy and to respect of countries’ sovereignty.”