A monument to military pilot Oleg Peshkov, who died in 2015 in northern Syria, was unveiled at the Khmeimim airbase next to busts of other pilots who died during the operation in the Arab republic.
The bust was unveiled to coincide with Defender of the Fatherland Day, Rear Admiral Igor Kurochkin, deputy commander of the Russian Armed Forces grouping in Syria for military and political work, told reporters.
"This is the third monument on the Alley of Heroes here, and, of course, its opening was timed to Defender of the Fatherland Day. The current generation of defenders of the Fatherland will have an opportunity to visit here, remember their fellow servicemen and honor their memory," Kurochkin said.
Previously, the airbase has already erected monuments to helicopter pilot Ryafagat Khabibulin, who died in 2016 during the liberation of Palmyra from the militants, and to Su-25SM attack aircraft pilot Roman Filipov, who was shot down in the sky over the terrorist-controlled Syrian province of Idlib.
Oleg Peshkov's Su-24 was shot down on November 24, 2015, near the Syrian-Turkish border. The crew managed to eject. Navigator Konstantin Murakhtin survived, while Peshkov, who was descending with a parachute, was shot in the air by militants. All terrorists who took part in the shooting were later killed, and the killed pilot has posthumously conferred the title of Hero of Russia.
Celebration events
In addition to the unveiling of the monument, servicemen at the airbase greeted the holiday with a ceremonial formation, during which those who distinguished themselves in service were awarded orders and medals. Lieutenant General Alexander Chaiko, commander of the group of Russian Armed Forces in Syria, and Ali Abdullah Ayoub, Minister of Defense of the Syrian Arab Republic congratulated them. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also sent his congratulations to the servicemen. "Today you are carrying out combat missions in the distant frontiers, reliably ensuring peace and quiet of our citizens. I express my sincere gratitude to you for your selfless service to the Fatherland," Shoigu said in a video message.
In the canteen at the airbase, they organized a day of national cuisine. To raise the morale here from time to time dishes of different peoples of Russia are prepared. Siberian dumplings, manti, pilaf and shish kebab from the Caucasus appeared on the servicemen's table for Defender of the Fatherland Day.
"We try to do different menus, different recipes. We try to cook a lot so as not to deprive anyone, not to offend anyone, to have enough for everyone. Food is delivered from Russia, by planes," Captain Timur Zaitsev, head of the foodservice of the tactical group, told journalists.
The celebration ended with a large concert. Artists of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Northern Fleet, and popular Russian singer Yuta gave a concert. She has toured Syria several times, and now, in addition to the concert on Khmeimim, she plans to perform in Damascus and Aleppo.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: TV channel "Zvezda"
Based on materials from RIA Novosti