Putin gives state awards to soldiers fighting in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded state awards to servicemen involved in the war in Syria.

Russian President Putin praised the army for defeating terrorists in Syria.

Putin said that the Russian military had made a decisive contribution to the defeat of terrorist groups in Syria: "Russia has made an important and decisive contribution to the defeat of the criminal forces that challenged the entire civilization."

Mr. Putin spoke at the award ceremony for Russian soldiers who participated in operations in Syria, emphasizing that Russia hascontributed to the destruction of the terrorist army, the barbaric dictatorship that sowed death and destruction, destroying hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, historical and cultural monuments.

According to the President of the Russian Federation, terrorists seek to turn Syria and neighboring countries into "a global springboard for aggression, the target of which is our country."

More than 48,000 Russian servicemen have taken part in operations in Syria over the past two years, the Russian president said. "Every single Russian serviceman in Syria acted with great courage and determination."

According to Sputnik