The servicemen met the New Year at 00:00 Moscow time, standing in order and listening to Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual New Year's address near a 15-meter-high Christmas tree.
Notably, the address was accompanied by the roar of the combat aircraft's engines as Russian pilots went ahead with their sorties despite the holiday.
#SYRIA Russian aviation intensified strikes in interests of Syrian army fighting #ISIS https://t.co/r3GWmgN98u pic.twitter.com/aP9h9bAb84
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 28 декабря 2015
Also in attendance in Hmeymim were traditional Snow Maiden and Father Frost, who asked the servicemen "to put an end to terrorism in the Syrian Arab Republic as soon as possible and to return home as heroes, from palm trees to the Russian birch and fir trees."
#SYRIA In #HAMA province, #Su25 eliminated 2 artillery guns and ammo depot of #ISIS terrorists
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 30 декабря 2015
Each soldier was presented with a travel bag, a thermal mug, a food set containing sausage, cheese, red caviar and sweets, as well as a T-shirt with an image of the Su-30 fighter and the date of the beginning of the Russian air campaign.
Late in December, Russian Defense Ministry officials said that Russian fighter jets had completed a total of 5,240 sorties since the start of the air operation against Daesh militants in Syria.
