Lieutenant General Alexander Chaiko, commander of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria, unveiled a monument to the Hero of Russia Ryafagat Habibullin, who died near Palmyra (Homs province), at Kheimimim airbase, the Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"On the territory of the Russian air base Khmeimim, on the day of the fifth anniversary of Russia's military operation to assist the Syrian people in liberating the country from international terrorist groups, Lieutenant General Alexander Chaiko, commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Syria, unveiled a monument to the Hero of Russia, Colonel Ryafagat Habibullin," the military department said.
The colonel's widow and his son Nikolay, who is the assistant to the commander of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria for work with believers, as well as servicemen of the air base and representatives of the Syrian armed forces, also took part in the ceremony.
Chaiko noted that Habibullin performed combat missions in the military conflicts of the last decades, showing courage, dedication and the highest professionalism. "He died in battle as a soldier. We remember and honor the memory of all those who died here on Syrian land," the lieutenant general said.
Chaiko also recalled that the Russian contingent in Syria was deployed at the request of the lawful government of the republic, which was due to the critical situation in the country. "The whole world was waiting for the bloody outcome of the disappearance of the Syrian state, but faithful to its allied duty, Russia sent its best soldiers, who together with the Syrian army defeated the international terrorist organizations and their sponsors," Chaiko said.
Operation in Syria
During the Syrian operation, Russian aviation carried out more than 44,000 combat sorties, which destroyed more than 121,000 terrorist targets, almost 10,500 pieces of equipment and more than 130,000 fighters. Military engineers have demined more than 20 thousand buildings, more than 1.5 thousand km of highways and defused almost 144 thousand explosive objects.
"Russian servicemen are actively involved in restoring peaceful life and infrastructure in the country. More than 2,500 humanitarian actions have been conducted," Chuiko said, adding that the names of the dead comrades have not been forgotten.
During the active phase of the operation, which lasted from September 30, 2015, to December 11, 2017, key Syrian cities such as Palmyra, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor were liberated. The Syrian government regained control over 88% of the country. To date, the Syrian government has control over 1,435 localities.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials TASS