Over the past few days 24 aircraft and 1,140 personnel have been withdrawn from Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the alumni of military academies at a reception on June 28.
“This withdrawal is continuing now. Only over the past several days, 13 planes, 14 helicopters and 1,140 personnel have been pulled out,” Putin said adding that the pullout of Russian forces from Syria began in December 2017. “You and your fellow servicemen together with them will fully use this experience of the personnel’s combat training here in Russia to perform the most difficult and outstanding tasks during snap checks, strategic and tactical exercises, and learn how to use the unique new generation equipment, which the forces start receiving.”
The president said that the expirience gained in Syria must be used in training Russian military personnel.
“The Russian army clearly demonstrated its growing potential and better coordination among military units in the struggle with terrorists in Syria,” he said. “All of you and your fellow servicemen are now to use the experience of that operation in combat training.”
The Russian military kicked off its anti-terrorist operation in Syria in late September 2015. Since then, the Russian military involvement has changed the crouse of the war and has allowed the Damascus government to retake large areas from terrorist groups.