From the time a Russian three star general strolled into the US embassy in Baghdad on September 30 and told whoever was there that airstrikes in Syria "start in 1 hour, stay out of the way", Moscow has bombed militant targets day and night in hundreds upon hundreds of strikes using Su-34s, Su-25s and Su-24Ms to wreak havoc on anything that even looks like a rebel. 

But as ruthless as the air campaign already was, the downing of a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula by Islamic State's Egyptian affiliate made the situation immeasurably worse (if you're a militant) and as we noted on Wednesday, The Kremlin has now sent in the strategic bombers. 

In addition to the deployment of the strategic bomber fleet - which Moscow says will allow Russia to double the number of strikes it can launch - The Kremlin is also stepping up sea-based cruise missle attacks from the Caspian fleet.