Vladimir Putin announced a surprise withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria on Monday, declaring the “overall completion” of his military aims and removal of the “main part” of his forces. There are obviously a few specifics to hammer out, but even still the withdrawal is a remarkable about face from the enigmatic Russian leader who unilaterally stepped up the Russian presence in Syria in September of last year to bolster the Assad regime.
“I consider the mission set for the defence ministry and the armed forces on the whole has been accomplished,” Mr Putin said in a meeting at the Kremlin, according to the BBC. “I am therefore ordering the defence ministry to begin the withdrawal of the main part of our military force from the Syrian Arab Republic from tomorrow.” The withdrawal comes a month after a brokered “cessation of hostilities” and amidst a new round of peace talks in Geneva. The power dynamic of any negotiation will certainly look far different than it would have six months ago when the Assad regime was teetering.
“After Assad appeared weakened and on the verge of defeat over the summer, the Russian intervention inverted the course of the conflict, paving the way with airstrikes for Assad’s ground forces,” the Washington Post notes. “By February, shortly before the cease-fire went into effect, dozens of Russian bombers and jet fighters were often flying more than 60 sorties a day, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry, enabling major territorial gains by regime forces.”
