ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The press service for the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet on Wednesday denied reports that the fleet's aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is bound for Syria.

The aircraft carrier is currently undergoing maintenance work in the northern port of Murmansk, Russia. On completion of the maintenance work, it will be put to a series of routine tasks in the Barents Sea over the coming weeks, said the Northern Fleet's press service in a statement.

At the request of the beleaguered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia began military operations in Syria on Sept. 30, with a view to weakening the position of the extremist group Islamic State forces and other rebel groups within the country.

Several naval vessels from Russia's Caspian Flotilla have so far been involved in the mission. Russia also maintains a small but strategic Mediterranean naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus.