Russian defense minister Sergey Shoygu thanked his Armenian counterpart Davit Tonoyan for providing humanitarian aid in Syria.

“You were first to respond to our appeal to help the Syrian people,” Shoygu said during their meeting in Moscow.

He said it would be of paramount importance for the Syrian kids who have not seen a normal life for all these years.

A group of 83 Armenian specialists has arrived in Syria's Aleppo for a humanitarian mission. Armenian experts will carry out humanitarian activities related to mine clearance, providing medical services in Aleppo, exclusively in the areas where there are no military operations.

Tonoyan, in turn, thanked his Russian colleague for providing assistance in organization of the humanitarian mission in Syria.

“It’s a great contribution,” he said. “I do believe our participation in this humanitarian mission is very important. The assistance to the Syrian population, part of which is Armenian community, is very important.”