Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russian forces will withdraw from the Syrian War Zone as the country has achieved its objectives.
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The ministry said the jets will be accompanied by military transport aircraft and will be making stops at airfields in Russian Federation for refuel and technical checks since some of them are stationed more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) away from the Syria base.
A temporary ceasefire between Mr Assad’s forces and opponents has largely held since Feb 27, but it does not cover Al-Nusra Front and ISIS.
Putin ordered the withdrawal of troops from Syria starting from Tuesday, about six months after Russian Federation began an air campaign in the country.
Drobinin said Russian Federation would maintain its military presence at Hmeymim airbase as well as a major Mediterranean naval center at Tartus. “When we see forces withdrawing it means war is taking a different step”.
And hopes for a breakthrough at the Geneva talks remained remote, with both sides locked in a bitter dispute over Assad’s future as the conflict in Syria entered its sixth year.
“There have been growing signs of differences between Russian Federation and the Syrian government over the Geneva talks, which Moscow has pressed hard for along with Washington”, it said.
But US officials offered a cautious initial assessment of the Kremlin’s decision.
Damascus sparked Western anger by staking out an uncompromising stance before the talks, insisting that discussions on Assad’s removal were a “red line” they would not cross.
The entirety of who Kerry will meet with and what the full agenda will include remain to be seen, although discussions about Russia’s withdrawal from Syria and the peace process are certain.
At a ceremony near Voronezh, head of Russia’s Air Force Colonel General Viktor Bondarev praised the precision of Russia’s pilots, telling crowds that in more than 9,000 sorties over six months of Russian airstrikes in Syria, “there was not one bombing that was not on target, not one bombing of sensitive objects”.
But critics say Moscow has been more interested in bolstering the Assad regime, by hitting rebel groups backed by the west, than taking on IS.
After his first official meeting with the regime on Monday, de Mistura told reporters that “strong statements (and) rhetoric” were part of every tough negotiation and that his initial discussions with government representative Bashar al-Jaafari were “useful”.
Syria’s main opposition gave Russia’s decision a cautious welcome, but raised concerns it could be “a trick” but on Tuesday, opposition spokesman Salim al-Muslat said that the Russian withdrawal could also help bring about an end to Assad’s “dictatorship and his crimes”.
“I ask the Russian foreign ministry to intensify Russia’s participation in organising the peace process to solve the Syrian problem”.
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“It was a useful meeting, and I think we clarified quite a lot of the issues”, de Mistura said, adding that there is still a long way to go before al-Assad’s government and opposition groups can reach some sort of compromise.
