The Medal "Participant of the military operation in Syria" (Russian: Медаль «Участнику военной операции в Сирии») is an award of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. It was created by order of Sergei Shoigu on November 30, 2015 No. 732.[1] The medal is awarded to servicemen and civilian personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, who participated in or assisted the Syrian or Russian forces in the struggle for the power of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Civil War.
| Medal "Participant in the military operation in Syria" | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Ministry of Defense decoration |
| Presented by |  Russian Federation |
| Eligibility | Citizens of the Russian Federation |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 30 November 2015 |
 Ribbon of the Medal "Participant of the military operation in Syria" | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Medal of Kalashnikov |
| Next (lower) | Medal "For Impeccable Service" |
Description
editThe medal is made of gold-colored metal in a circular shape with a diameter of 32 mm, with a convex edge on both sides. On the obverse of the medal: a relief monochrome image of military equipment: three fighter jets at the top, a missile ship at the bottom on the outline of the borders of Syria. On the reverse of the medal, in the upper center, there is a relief monochrome image of the emblem of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, crowned with a double-headed eagle with outstretched wings. In the eagle's right paw is a sword, in the left is an oak wreath. On the eagle's chest is a triangular, downward-sloping shield with a shaft rising to the crown.[citation needed]
In the field of the shield - a rider striking a dragon with a spear, below it - a relief inscription in four lines "participant in the military operation in Syria", in a circle - a relief inscription: in the upper part - "Ministry of Defense", in the lower part - "Russian Federation ". The medal is attached by means of an eye and a ring to a pentagonal pad covered with a silk moiré ribbon 24 mm wide. From the right edge of the ribbon, an orange stripe 10 mm wide, bordered on the right by a black stripe 2 mm wide, on the left - red, white and black stripes of equal size.[citation needed]
In March 2016, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation ordered the production of 10,300 such medals.[2]
History
editSyrian President Bashar Assad took advantage of the formal treaty "On friendship and cooperation between the USSR and Syria" dated October 8, 1980[3][4] and on September 30, 2015, he turned to the Russian Federation for military assistance. The Federation Council of the Russian Federation agreed to help, limiting the offer to the use of the Russian Aerospace Forces to help the ground forces of Syria from the air, without conducting a ground operation.[5]
The same day, an air group of the Russian Federation, consisting of bombers and attack aircraft under the cover of fighter jets and helicopters, began to carry out strikes on Syrian rebel groups. Long-range aircraft and special forces were involved in the operation, some targets were struck with cruise missiles from the ships of the Caspian Flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet near Russian-occupied Crimea.[6]
Awarding
editOn March 15, 2016, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov and Syrian Army Chief of Staff Ali Abdullah Ayyoub awarded the military with Syrian and Russian awards at the Khmeimim Air Base.[7]
On March 16, 2016, a group of Su-25 attack aircraft returned from Syria to the air base in Primorsko-Akhtarsk. The group did not include all the planes that participated in the war against the opposition. According to the Pentagon, 8-10 planes returned, the last ones abandoned at a base in Syria.[8] According to Reuters data, out of 36 Russian planes, only 15 returned to the Russian Federation.[9]
On March 17, 2016, a ceremony was held when three Su-24 bombers arrived back from Syria at the Shagol airbase near Chelyabinsk.[10]
On December 12, 2017, a ceremony was held when a fleet of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers arrived back from Syria at the Shaykovka air base near Kirov, Kaluga Oblast, where lieutenant general and Long-Range Aviation commander Sergey Kobylash awarded crews with the medal.[11][12]
-
Tu-22M3 landing at Shaykovka air base after its bombing mission in Syria -
Tu-22M3 crew member being awarded at Shaykovka air base for his bombing mission in Syria -
Medal awarded at Shaykovka air base for bombing mission in Syria
Civilian participation
editSince the beginning of 2016, civilians such as artists, athletes, and politicians who visited Khmeimim Air Base to hold events for the military have also been widely awarded.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Довідник з наказами і директивами Міністра оборони РФ (за станом на 1 січня 2017)" [Directory with orders and directives of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation (as of January 1, 2017).]. doc.mil.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-01-22.
- ^ "Міноборони РФ замовить більше 10 тисяч медалей Учаснику військової операції в Сирії - ЗМІ" [The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation will order more than 10,000 medals for the Participant of the military operation in Syria - mass media.]. DT.ua. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Lea, David (2001). A Political Chronology of the Middle East. London, United Kingdom: Europa Publications.
- ^ "Про дружбу і співробітництво між СРСР та Сирійською Арабською Республікою / Договір від 08 жовтня 1980 року / Документ СПС-20770463/19845095" [On friendship and cooperation between the USSR and the Syrian Arab Republic / Agreement dated October 8, 1980 / Document SPS-20770463/19845095.]. docs.pravo.ru. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Путін каже, що не кидатиметься в Сирію з головою" [Putin says he will not rush into Syria headlong.]. DT.ua. Archived from the original on 2019-01-23. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ Yuhas, Alan; Borger, Julian; Ackerman, Spencer; Walker, Shaun; Borger, Alan Yuhas with Julian (30 September 2015). "Russian airstrikes in Syria: Pentagon says strategy 'doomed to failure' – as it happened". the Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ "На авиабазе Хмеймим открыли сквер российско-сирийской дружбы" [A square of Russian-Syrian friendship was opened at the Khmeimim airbase]. www.vesti.ru. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ "У Пентагоні підрахували кількість виведених із Сирії російських літаків" [The Pentagon counted the number of Russian planes withdrawn from Syria.]. DT.ua. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "РФ не вивела з Сирії і половини своїх літаків" [The Russian Federation has not withdrawn even half of its aircraft from Syria - Reuters.]. DT.ua. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Group of Su-24M bombers return to Chelyabinsk airbase from Syria". www.rbth.com. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Ту-22М3 вернулись на аэродром дислокации после выполнения задач в Сирии" [Tu-22M3 returned to the deployment air base after completing missions in Syria]. TASS (in Russian). 2017-12-12. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ "Tu-22M3 aircraft return back home in Kaluga region from North Ossetia". eng.mil.ru. 2017-12-12. Retrieved 2024-10-23.