Russia’s Putin orders 'significant' withdrawal of troops from Syria

Kim Hjelmgaard | USA TODAY

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a “significant” withdrawal of troops from Syria on Monday, Russian state news agency Tass said.



The partial withdrawal two years after Russia entered Syria’s civil war indicates an all but certain victory for Syrian President Assad over U.S.-backed rebels.

Putin made the announcement during a surprise visit to an airbase in Syria, where he declared victory in a campaign that has helped shore up Assad's government.

It follows a Russian announcement last week claiming that the Russian and Syrian militaries had completely routed the Islamic State group in eastern Syria and fully restored control over the country’s border with Iraq.

"Here in Syria, far away from our borders, you helped the Syrian people to preserve their state and fend off attacks by terrorists," Putin said in his address to Russian forces at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia. "You have dealt a devastating blow to those who blatantly threatened our country. We will never forget about the victims who fell in the fight against terror both here and in Russia.”

Russia has previously declared victory in Syria and also said on at least one other occasion that it would reduce its military presence in the country. It started launching airstrikes against anti-Assad rebel groups, including the Islamic State, in 2015.

Russia has also supplied weapons to the Syrian military and blocked United Nations Security Council resolutions critical of Assad's regime. The United Nations estimates that at least 400,000 people have died since the conflict erupted in 2011. More than 5 million Syrians have fled the country and around 6 million remain displaced internally.

Putin joins Assad at military base in Syria Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory against "terrorists" in Syria Monday during a surprise visit to a Russian military base there, where he met with Syrian President Bashar Assad and announced a partial pullout of Russian troops. (Dec. 11)

The Russian president recently declared his intention to run for re-election in March.

More: Russia's Vladimir Putin says he will run for president again in 2018