Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo presidential residence outside Moscow | Maxim Shipenkov/AFP via Getty Images Putin orders withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria President says Russia’s goals have been achieved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the majority of Russian forces to be withdrawn from Syria, saying that they had largely achieved their goals.

"The task that was set before our defense ministry and armed forces has as a whole been completed and so I order the defense ministry to from tomorrow start the withdrawal of the main part of our military contingents from the Syrian Arab Republic," Putin told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The Russian president said the country’s airbase at Hemeimeem in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia and a naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartus will remain operational.

Putin’s announcement came on the day that Syrian peace talks began in Geneva. Russia is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Linas Linkevičius, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, told POLITICO that it remains to be seen if this move "proves to become reality on the ground."

#Putin #Syria announcement: "Let's see when/whether it proves to become reality on the ground", @LinkeviciusL tells me. — Florian Eder (@florianeder) March 14, 2016