Has Russia started reducing its military presence in Syria?

Has Russia started reducing its military presence in Syria?

The Russian military said it started reducing the military presence in Syria as its Russian politicians sought a ceasefire and a political solution for the nearly six-year crisis.

By the summer of 2015, President Assad seemed on the verge of being overthrown. Then Russia launched its military intervention. The Russian intervention tilted the war in favor of Assad regime and cost the rebels many of their strongholds, and Aleppo was the last one to be lost.

After Aleppo, Russia and Turkey brokered a ceasefire between the rebels and Assad regime.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the reduction of forces in Syria on December 29 as he announced a ceasefire between government and rebel forces, which has since dampened down the fighting.

“In accordance with the decision of the supreme commander of the Russian armed forces, Vladimir Putin, the Russian defence ministry is beginning the reduction of the armed deployment to Syria,” Russian news agencies quoted military chief Valery Gerasimov as saying on Friday.

Gerasimov said the naval group headed by Moscow’s sole aircraft carrier – Admiral Kuznetsov – would be the first to leave the area.

“The tasks set for the aircraft carrier group during its military mission have been fulfilled,” said Andrei Kartapolov, Russia’s main commander in Syria.

Kartapolov said Russia still had sufficient air defence capabilities in Syria thanks to its S-300 and S-400 systems deployed in the war-torn country.

The latest declaration appeared designed to cast Russia as a peace-maker.

“The successes of the Syrian armed forces in the liberation of Aleppo have created the necessary conditions for the peaceful settlement of the conflict,” said Gerasimov. “I’m confident that it will lay the basis for the political settlement of the conflict.”

Previous reduction

Last March, Putin also ordered the Russian military to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, timing his declaration with a brief cease-fire in place at the time, one that was brokered by Moscow and Washington, and the launch of peace talks that took place in Geneva.

This announcement wasn’t really applied, as Russia sent more troop to Syria. Russia sent a naval force that include Russia’s only plane carrier.

Russia also declared opening a new naval base for its forces in Syria.

It seems that the announced reduction won’t be a wide-scale one, as most of the Russian forces will stay in Syria.

Putin stated that Russia will “unconditionally continue the struggle against international terrorism and furnish support for the legitimate Syrian government in its struggle with terrorism.”

“It goes without saying that we will stand by the agreements that have been achieved, including the development of the Russian military logistic facilities in Tartus and at the Hmeymim airdrome,” he said.

The Syrian crisis began as a peaceful demonstration against the injustice in Syria. Assad regime used to fire power and violence against the civilians and led to armed resistance. 450.000 Syrians lost their lives in the past five years according to UN estimates, and more than 12 million have lost their homes.

The Syrian crisis began as a peaceful demonstration against the injustice in Syria. Assad regime used to fire power and violence against the civilians and led to armed resistance. 450.000 Syrians lost their lives in the past five years according to UN estimates, and more than 12 million have lost their homes.