Russian warships joined in strikes in Syria with a volley of cruise missile attacks yesterday as Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged his air force would back a ground offensive by government forces. Ships from the Caspian Sea fleet launched 26 cruise missile strikes that hit 11 targets more than 1500km away in Syria, Moscow said.Putin said at a televised meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that Russian efforts "will be synchronised with the actions of the Syrian army on the ground and the actions of our air force will effectively support the offensive operation of the Syrian army".The Russian leader, however, also stressed the need for co-operation with a US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists, saying that without co-operation from the US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the intervention was unlikely to work.Russian forces have struck 112 targets in war-torn Syria since last week, launching a bombing campaign that Moscow says is targeting the IS group, Shoigu told Putin in the briefing."Strikes have hit 112 targets from September 30 until today," Shoigu said. "The intensity of the strikes is increasing."In a sign that Russia was ramping up its involvement, Shoigu said that four Russian warships had hit sites in Syria yesterday with cruise missiles."In addition to the air force, four warships of the Caspian flotilla have been involved," Shoigu said, adding that the warships had carried out 26 cruise missile strikes against 11 targets.A military spokesman told Russian news wires that the strikes from the warships had hit positions of IS and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front.A video released by the Russian defence ministry showed rockets being launched from a ship in darkness and traced their route to Syria over Iran and Iraq.Russia began air strikes in Syria a week ago following a request by long-standing ally President Bashar al-Assad.Moscow insists it is hitting IS and other "terrorist" targets, but the US and its allies fear that Moscow is aiming to bolster Assad's regime.Interim Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday renewed his country's criticism of Russia's actions, saying that of 57 Russian air strikes in Syria, 55 have struck moderate Syrian opposition forces, while two were directed at Islamic State. Weakening Syria's opposition would also strengthen Islamic State, Davutoglu said. ..