The Daesh leader may have been alongside other leaders of the extremist group and 330 terrorists killed in the airstrike.
"As a result of the Su-35 and Su-34 airstrikes, high-ranking commanders of the terrorist groups who were part of the so-called IS [Daesh] military council, as well as about 30 mid-level field commanders and up to 300 militants of their personal security, have been killed," the ministry said in a statement.
The death of al-Baghdadi has not yet been confirmed though.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister underscored that the Russian military did not have 100 percent proof of the Daesh leaders elimination.
He noted that the possible elimination of Baghdadi shouldn't be overestimated.
"All examples of such actions on the destruction, 'beheading' of terrorist groups have always been presented with great enthusiasm, however, history shows that the fighting capacity of these structures [terror groups] were then restored," Lavrov told a news conference.
Does Daesh Have a Leader?
According toRussian senator Alexei Pushkov, the death ofthe Daesh leader would speed upthe defeat ofthe terrorists.
"The death ofal-Baghdadi will be a severe blow toIS [Daesh], if confirmed. The group is infull retreat. The death ofits leader will prompt a military defeat," Pushkov wrote onTwitter.
In an interview withSputnik, Deputy Chairman ofRussia's Federation Council Committee onInternational Affairs Andrei Klimov underscored that the death ofthe leader will weaken Daesh butit will not decide the fight againstterrorism.
"The reported death ofAl-Baghdadi does not mean that it is time tostop combat actions [against terrorists]," Klimov said.
The alleged death ofal-Baghdadi could help facilitate the liberation ofRaqqa, the de facto capital ofDaesh, according toRussian Senator Viktor Ozerov, chairman ofthe Council ofthe Federation Committee onDefense and Security.
"Ultimately, this will help solve the task offreeing Raqqa," Ozerov told Sputnik.
According tothe lawmaker, the death ofthe leader usually breaks the commanding structure ofa group, and this will happen toDaesh if al-Baghdadis death is confirmed.
At the same time, Russian military expert Viktor Murakhovsky questioned the fact that al-Baghdadi is the real leader ofDaesh.
"He may have been there atthe moment ofthe Russian airstrike and he may have been killed. But this would not have any serious impact onthe course ofthe conflict inSyria," Murakhovsky told Sputnik.
According tothe expert, asa militant organization Daesh operates rather asa net-centric structure.
"Al-Baghdadi is not their commander-in-chief. He doesnt give orders toa general staff that plans military operations. Groups that pledged loyalty toDaesh are quite autonomous. Al-Baghdadi is rather their ideological leader. He does not command military operations," Murakhovsky pointed out.
The reported death ofal-Baghdadi will not disorganize the Daesh ranks, according toEgyptian military expert Gen. Nabil Fuad.
"This will not lead toa strategic breakthrough. Such organizations are based onthe principle ofrotating leadership inthe event ofthe death oftheir leader. Possibly, the reported death ofal-Baghdadi will be negative forterrorists morale," Fuad told Sputnik.
He noted that there have been several reports ofal-Baghdadis death, none ofwhich was confirmed.
Al-Baghdadi appeared inthe media forthe first time in2014 when he declared the creation ofa caliphate inthe Middle East. His death was reported inJune and December 2016, April 2015 and November 2014. In April 2015, he was reported dead afteran injury, and inOctober 2016, reports emerged that al-Baghdadi was poisoned. In January 2017, media reported that al-Baghdadi suffered heavy injuries inan airstrike.
'Sudden Pinpoint Strike'
Later onFriday, the Russian military released a photo demonstrating the results ofthe airstrike conducted onMay 28 againstthe Daesh headquarters inRaqqa.
A photo dated May 13 shows four buildings ofDaesh headquarters. However, the photo dated May 28 shows that the buildings hit bythe Russian airstrike have been completely destroyed.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4962"]
On the left: Daesh headquarters in Raqqa on May 13; on the right: Daesh headquarters in Raqqa after the Russian airstrike. The target is completely destroyed[/caption]In military terms, the airstrike was very well planned and carried out, according to Russian military expert and journalist Igor Korotchenko.
"The released pictures prove that the target was complex, comprising of several buildings. All of them were destroyed in the airstrike. All of the terrorists inside must have been killed there. There can be no survivors after such an airstrike," Korotchenko told Sputnik.
He also noted that intelligence did very well, including revealing the plan of a "military council" and providing all necessary information for a "sudden pinpoint strike."
According to Korotchenko, the operation was planned with the use of satellite images, data from radio-radar intelligence and information from drones.
