Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a telegram to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, hailing the breaking of the siege of Deir Ezzor by Syrian government troops, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that Putin had hailed the breakthrough as “a strategic victory” over ISIL militants.

Russian air strikes that struck ISIL targets in the city on Tuesday helped Syrian army troops in the area swiftly advance, he said, citing a Russian Defense Ministry report to Putin.

Source: Websites