Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday shocked unsuspecting UN diplomats and teams of negotiators launching the Syrian peace talks in Geneva by announcing the beginning of the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria.
Mr Putin said Russia’s military mission has been accomplished and the pullout of aircraft, staff and advisers would facilitate the peace process.
“I believe that the task put before the defence ministry and Russian armed forces has, on the whole, been fulfilled,” he said. “With the participation of the Russian military . . . the Syrian armed forces . . . have been able to achieve a fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism.
“The effective work of our military created the conditions for the start of the peace process,” he said.
Naval base
The permanent naval base at the Syrian port of Tartous and the airbase near Latakia would be defended, he said, during a meeting with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and defence minister Sergei Shoygu.
Mr Putin telephoned Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to inform him of the Kremlin’s decision but argued that Moscow would intensify its diplomatic efforts to secure a positive outcome to the talks.
However, the withdrawal of Russia’s military forces and air cover for the Syrian army will reduce Moscow’s diplomatic leverage.
It will also leave the field open for the US-led coalition in the battle against Islamic State and al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organisations.
