Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented a special gift to a Russian pilot who carried out 300 sorties from the Hmeimim military base in Lattakia, Russian Defense Ministry announced.
In a statement, the ministry indicated that “During an inspection of the Hmeimim Air Base, Minister Shoigu gifted a special helmet to a pilot who carried out more than 300 sorties.”
“The minister spoke to the Russian pilots of the Tu-22M and MiG-31K long-range fighter-interceptor, which arrived at the air base from Russia to participate in the exercises of the Russian Navy,” the statement added.
The statement continued “Minister Shoigu inspected naval exercises in the Syrian port of Tartous in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and listened to a report on the conduct of exercises to defeat the supposed enemy ships.”
The Ministry noted that “More than 15 warships from the Pacific, Northern and Black Sea fleets are participating in the exercises to monitor enemy submarines, impose control of navigation at sea, and organize the transit of aircraft to the region’s airspace.”
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)