While 2016 is coming close, Sputnik presents a photo gallery of the most memorable and emotional pictures of December 2015.
© Sputnik / Maksim Blinov / Go to the mediabankAbove: A Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with a Soyuz TMA-19M manned spacecraft lifts off from the Baikonur Space Center.
Above: A Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with a Soyuz TMA-19M manned spacecraft lifts off from the Baikonur Space Center.
© Sputnik / Konstantin Chalabov / Go to the mediabankAbove: Gabriela Soukalova (Czech Republic), winner of the gold medal in the women's sprint at the 2015-16 Biathlon World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden, during the medal ceremony.
Above: Gabriela Soukalova (Czech Republic), winner of the gold medal in the women's sprint at the 2015-16 Biathlon World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden, during the medal ceremony.
© Sputnik / STR / Go to the mediabankAbove: Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Oleh Barna, member of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, (right to left) at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada.
Above: Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Oleh Barna, member of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, (right to left) at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada.
Above: A Soyuz TMA-17M spaceship after landing.
© Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin / Go to the mediabankAbove: Pamela Anderson, a Consultative Council member, the International Fund of Animal Welfare, at a Kremlin meeting with Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov.
Above: Pamela Anderson, a Consultative Council member, the International Fund of Animal Welfare, at a Kremlin meeting with Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov.
© Sputnik / Pavel Lisitcin / Go to the mediabankAbove: Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin perform during the exhibition gala at the Russian Figure Skating Championships in Yekaterinburg.
Above: Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin perform during the exhibition gala at the Russian Figure Skating Championships in Yekaterinburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Nikolskiy / Go to the mediabankAbove: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, wishes State Variety Theater artistic director and People's Artist of Russia Gennady Khazanov a happy 70th birthday at their meeting at the Moscow Kremlin, December 1, 2015.
Above: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, wishes State Variety Theater artistic director and People's Artist of Russia Gennady Khazanov a happy 70th birthday at their meeting at the Moscow Kremlin, December 1, 2015.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich / Go to the mediabankAbove: People dressed as Father Frost taking part in the Happy Run charity contest at VDNKh.
Above: People dressed as Father Frost taking part in the Happy Run charity contest at VDNKh.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich / Go to the mediabankAbove: Light installations admired by passers-by on Nikolskaya Street in Moscow during the Christmas Light International Festival.
Above: Light installations admired by passers-by on Nikolskaya Street in Moscow during the Christmas Light International Festival.
© Sputnik / Vitaly Ankov / Go to the mediabankAbove: Amur the tiger and Timur the goat in an enclosure at a safari park in the Primorye Territory. Although tigers feed on live prey in the park all year round, Amur has not eaten Timur.
Above: Amur the tiger and Timur the goat in an enclosure at a safari park in the Primorye Territory. Although tigers feed on live prey in the park all year round, Amur has not eaten Timur.
© Sputnik / Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankAbove: Relatives of the victims of a terror attack in the center of Homs. On December 12, terrorists blew up a vehicle next to the al-Ahli Hospital.
Above: Relatives of the victims of a terror attack in the center of Homs. On December 12, terrorists blew up a vehicle next to the al-Ahli Hospital.
© Sputnik / Alexandr Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankAbove: Participants in the Interregional Arena Circus Festival-Contest prepare to perform in the arena of the Novosibirsk State Circus behind the wings.
Above: Participants in the Interregional Arena Circus Festival-Contest prepare to perform in the arena of the Novosibirsk State Circus behind the wings.
© Sputnik / Vitaly Ankov / Go to the mediabankAbove: A MiG-31 fighter aircraft takes off as part of the tactical flight drill by fighter aircraft of the Eastern Military District conducted at Tsentralnaya Uglovaya military airfield in the Primorye Territory.
Above: A MiG-31 fighter aircraft takes off as part of the tactical flight drill by fighter aircraft of the Eastern Military District conducted at Tsentralnaya Uglovaya military airfield in the Primorye Territory.
© Sputnik / Alexandr Vilf / Go to the mediabankAbove: Participants of a show at Olimpiysky Arena given by the Olympic champions in synchronized swimming.
Above: Participants of a show at Olimpiysky Arena given by the Olympic champions in synchronized swimming.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich / Go to the mediabankAbove: A model of a big Christmas bauble on Manezhnaya Square in Moscow.
Above: A model of a big Christmas bauble on Manezhnaya Square in Moscow.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Sergeev / Go to the mediabankAbove: A street band performing at a Christmas market on Karlsplatz Street in Vienna.
Above: A street band performing at a Christmas market on Karlsplatz Street in Vienna.
© Sputnik / Sergey Guneev / Go to the mediabankAbove: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and US Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting in the Kremlin, December 15, 2015.
Above: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and US Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting in the Kremlin, December 15, 2015.
© Sputnik / Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankAbove: A resident of a village in the province of al-Hasake in the north-east of Syria prays in St. George's Church, destroyed by Daesh terrorists.
Above: A resident of a village in the province of al-Hasake in the north-east of Syria prays in St. George's Church, destroyed by Daesh terrorists.
© Sputnik / Vitaly Melnikov / Go to the mediabankAbove: Damascus celebrates Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar.
Above: Damascus celebrates Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar.
© Sputnik / Alexandr Kryazhev / Go to the mediabankAbove: An athlete wears a bear costume during a freestyle event at the Siberian Kite Cup 2015 on the ice of the reservoir of the Novosibirsk Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Above: An athlete wears a bear costume during a freestyle event at the Siberian Kite Cup 2015 on the ice of the reservoir of the Novosibirsk Hydroelectric Power Plant.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankAbove: A street artist blowing soap bubbles on the embankment of Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg.
Above: A street artist blowing soap bubbles on the embankment of Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Maksim Bogovid / Go to the mediabankAbove: An actor wearing the costume of Shurale (Wood-Goblin) at the residence of Kysh Babay and Kar Kyzy in the village of Yana Kyrlay, Arsky District in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Above: An actor wearing the costume of Shurale (Wood-Goblin) at the residence of Kysh Babay and Kar Kyzy in the village of Yana Kyrlay, Arsky District in the Republic of Tatarstan.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich / Go to the mediabankAbove: "The Crown" art object presented as part of the Christmas Light festival on Teatralnaya Square in Moscow.
Above: "The Crown" art object presented as part of the Christmas Light festival on Teatralnaya Square in Moscow.
© Sputnik / Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankAbove: Gees in destructed Yarmouk, Damascus, Syria.
Above: Gees in destructed Yarmouk, Damascus, Syria.
© Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov / Go to the mediabankAbove: A giraffe at the premiere of the New Year's program by the Big Animal Circus in Sokolniki, Moscow.
Above: A giraffe at the premiere of the New Year's program by the Big Animal Circus in Sokolniki, Moscow.