Al Jazeera released a video on late Tuesday showing a Russian general fighting on the side of Assad regime soldiers against opposition forces on the ground in Syria's Latakia province.

The video, believed to be provided by the Syrian opposition, exhibits an unidentified Russian general and a Syrian translator helping the Russians on the ground to communicate with Assad regime soldiers.

The translator says in the video the Russian general appreciates the strength of Assad forces and their "perfect performance", and the relevant army unit of the general did not make any withdrawal during his [the general's] stay in Syria.

The cameraman also talks during the video, and he thanks the Russian general and Russian President Vladimir Putin for siding with the Assad regime, to which the general replies, "It is our duty towards Syrians."

At the end of the footage, the general says the "airstrikes have started."

Latakia province, home to Syria's biggest port and a stronghold of Bashar al Assad, has been a key battleground of the conflict, which is now in its fifth year.

Assad forces, including Iranian troops and Hezbollah fighters are backed by Russian air support in Syria. Russian warplanes have bombed opposition forces in Latakia province, including in the Jabal Akrad and Jabal Turkman areas, killing mostly the civilians.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on Tuesday about Russia's actions in war-torn Syria, saying that Moscow was preparing the ground to create a "boutique" Syrian state around the northern province of Latakia and that it has been carrying out attacks against Turkmens there.

Russia launched air operations in Syria on Sept. 30 after receiving parliamentary approval. The Kremlin claimed the airstrikes, which followed a military buildup in Syria, aimed to support forces loyal to Assad, a long-standing Russian ally, against Daesh. However, Turkey and the West have accused Russia of targeting moderate fighters opposed to Assad, many of which are supported by Turkey and the U.S.