Russia Delivers Over 40 Tonnes of Gifts to Syrian Children

Russia delivered over 40 metric tonnes (40 US tons) of gifts to the children of Syria gathered in Russia within the Children of Russia to the Children of Syria campaign, to the Hmeimim airbase, according to Russian Defense Ministry. MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia delivered over 40 metric tonnes (40 US tons) of gifts to the children of Syria gathered in Russia within the Children of Russia to the Children of Syria campaign, to the Hmeimim airbase, Russian Defense Ministry said Monday. "Backpacks with candy, crafts and stationery have been collected by… cadets, pupils of Ministry of Defense boarding school and ordinary students from Tula, Moscow, Vladimir, Vologda, Tver, Kaluga, Kostroma and other regions," the ministry said. Personnel of the the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation at the Hmeimim airbase are passing gifts to the children in all government-controlled regions of the country. Russia has been providing consistent humanitarian aid to Syrians who have been gravely affected by the civil war in the country. Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting Syrian opposition groups striving to overthrow the president. Damascus is also fighting numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Jabhat Fatah al Sham and the Islamic State, both outlawed in Russia. According to the United Nations, at least 300,000 Syrians have died since the beginning of the conflict. Read more: https://sputniknews.com/art_living/201612191048723323-russia-gifts-syrian-children/