Syria's President Bashar al-Assad visits a Russian air base at Hmeymim, in western Syria in this handout picture posted on SANA on June 27, 2017, Syria. (SANA photo)
DAMASCUS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday that Syrians won't forget the Russian support to Syria, according to the Syrian presidential media office.
The president made the remarks during his visit to the Russian-run Hmeimim Air Base in Syria's northern city of Latakia, during which he reviewed the latest military gears.
Assad visited the base "with all joy and pride," saying that the fighters and pilots coming from Russia help "their brothers of the Syrian army ... and the Syrian people in defending the unity and sovereignty of Syria and fight against the terrorists."
He said Russia provided weapons and gears to support Syria in the war on terror, "and most importantly they gave blood, which is the most precious anyone could give to his fellow human ... and the Syrian people will not forget the stance of their Russian brothers."
Assad's visit to Hmeimim is his first declared tour in the base, which has been run by the Russian forces since 2015 when they intervened to aid the Syrian government forces in face of the foreign-backed insurgency.
The report said Assad toured the base and reviewed the modern military gears, including warplanes and armored carriers.
Touring the site with Russian commanders, Assad also checked the latest Su-35 warplane.
Photos of the president during his tour were also posted by the presidential media office.
It's the latest in some high-profile visits Assad has recently made, starting with special prayers of the Eid al-Fitr feast in the central city of Hama, his first visit to the city since the beginning of the Syrian war six years ago.
He also visited wounded soldiers in Hama, along with his wife and three children.
But the visit to the Hmeimim base comes at a time when the White House warned there are "potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack" by the Syrian government forces and warned Assad that he would face a "heavy price" if one is carried out.
The U.S. warplanes have also struck the Syrian army several times over the past two months when it was advancing toward Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group, and the Iraqi borders.
Russia repeatedly slammed the U.S. strikes amid reports that it equipped the Syrian army with high-tech military gears to defend itself against further attacks.
The president's visit to the base apparently aims to showcase confidence and the strong alliance with Russia in the face of the U.S. threats.
