The President of Russia Vladimir Putin considers that the actions of the Northern fleet military caused serious damage to militants in Syria. This opinion was expressed on Thursday, February 23, the press service of the Kremlin.
“You coped with all the tasks you have set, caused substantial, significant damage to international terrorist groups, their bases, weapons caches, munitions, equipment, infrastructure,” — said Putin at a meeting with officers of the Northern fleet who distinguished themselves while performing service-combat tasks in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The positive results of these efforts, according to the Russian leader, contributed to creation of conditions for peaceful negotiations between the opposition and Damascus.
In addition, the military has opened a new page in the history of the Russian Navy, Putin said. “And not only because I made such a long March, a successful campaign, complicated in terms of, frankly, counter to our efforts to combat international terrorism, not help from some of our so-called partners, you have done this adequately,” — said the President.
February 22, the President signed a decree on conferring military and special ranks of senior personnel of relevance to operations in Syria. 63 officer received the next rank of General.
A group of ships of the Northern fleet consisting of the heavy nuclear missile cruiser “Peter the Great” (leader), the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Admiral Kuznetsov”, two large anti-submarine ships (“Severomorsk” and “Vice-Admiral Kulakov”) came from Severomorsk October 15, 2016 and in early November came in the Eastern Mediterranean. November 15 was released an official announcement about the first in the history of the domestic fleet of combat use of carrier-based aircraft in the shock task.
On 8 February, the ship aircraft carrier group of the Northern fleet entered the roads of Severomorsk.