Within hours of the Kremlin authorising Russian soldiers to be sent to fight, reports emerged of bombing raids underway against anti-government targets.
The airstrikes were confirmed by government officials in Moscow and the US.
The move by Putin's Russia could be a huge game-changer in the global fight to destroy the terror network.
And with the Kremlin sanctioning the use of boots on the ground in Syria, it piles pressure on David Cameron to up the UK's involvement in taking out ISIS.
But there is confusion amid claims that Russian jets are not targeting ISIS and are instead striking fighters opposed to Syrian President and Russian ally Bashar al-Assad.
The Russian president asked his Federation Council to approve the use of military force abroad this morning – and won unanimous support for the move.
It came after Vladimir Putin was told to 'put up or shut up' and make use of the Russian tanks and planes sent to the war-torn country.
Six high-tech Su-34 planes have already been sent to the war zone, joining 28 fighter jets and hundreds of troops currently in the country.
While earlier this month, at least seven Russian T-90 tanks were spotted at an airbase near the Syrian city of Latakia.
Speaking about the planes, a Syrian activist said: "The movement in the airport never stops with warplanes and helicopters taking off and landing.
"It is forbidden to come close to the airport, even for Syrian officers and soldiers.
"The management is 100 per cent Russian except for some Syrian senior personnel and experts who sometimes accompany the Russians to the airport."
Sergey Ivanov, speaking for the Russian government, denied troops would play a part in the intervention – despite their presence in Syria.
He told RT: "The military goal of the operation is strictly to provide air support for the [Syrian] government forces in their fight against Islamic State.”
Putin this week called for the west to rally behind Syria's brutal dictator Bashal al-Assad in an anti-ISIS coalition.
France, which is now taking part in coalition strikes against the jihadi thugs, then lashed out at Putin – telling him to put his money where his mouth is and fight.
Blasting the Russians, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said they "talk a lot, but as far as I can tell they haven't committed any planes against Islamic State."
He also told the United Nations: "What's important in the fight against Islamic State is not the media strike, it's the real strike."
A US-led coalition has been bombing ISIS targets in Syria for about a year, with another coalition – including many of the same countries – striking militants in Iraq.
Jihadis control huge swathes of both countries, exploiting the chaos created when Assad cracked down on anti-government protesters before spreading to Iraq.
Western nations have questioned whether Russia stepping-up its military action in Syria is about supporting Assad or gaining power in the region.
However a senior Tory backed the intervention and described Assad as the "lesser evil".
MP Bob Stewart, a member of Parliament's defence select committee, said: "In order to defeat the great Satan you might have to put up with a lesser devil as well.
"I am pleased that the Russians have said they are going to intervene and I hope very much that it helps contribute to the extinguishing of this appalling threat to mankind."
It was the same story with MP James Gray, another committee member.
He said: "My enemy's enemy is my friend, to some degree. You can't fight both Assad and IS at the same time."
Labour's firebrand lefty leader Jeremy Corbyn said he remained unconvinced that bombing ISIS would help.
He told 5 News: "I do not see any circumstances at the moment where bombing is actually going to make any great difference.
"I think the dangers are huge, the dangers of mission creep are enormous.
"The dangers of dragging British forces in on the ground are also huge.
"I think we need to think very, very carefully about this so I am not persuaded on it.”
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