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| First Russian Jets Leave Syria After Putin’s Withdrawal Order | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MOSCOW — The first group of Russian fighter jets left Syria on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said, a day after President Vladimir V. Putin ordered the withdrawal of the “main part” of the its forces from the country. | |
| The jets flew home after the Russian Air Force contingent began loading equipment and making other technical preparations necessary to start the withdrawal, the ministry said in a statement. | |
| The technical staff at the Hmeymim air base near Latakia, Syria, “began to prepare the aircraft for the long-range flights to the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a statement on its website and on Facebook. | The technical staff at the Hmeymim air base near Latakia, Syria, “began to prepare the aircraft for the long-range flights to the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a statement on its website and on Facebook. |
| The statement did not specify the number of aircraft. Russia deployed about 50 fighter jets and attack helicopters at the base starting in September. | The statement did not specify the number of aircraft. Russia deployed about 50 fighter jets and attack helicopters at the base starting in September. |
| The process apparently started soon after Mr. Putin’s announcement, and Russian television broadcast pictures of soldiers loading heavy equipment onto giant cargo planes in the dark. | |
| Russia has also long maintained a naval repair and refueling station on the coast at Tartus, its sole overseas military outpost. | Russia has also long maintained a naval repair and refueling station on the coast at Tartus, its sole overseas military outpost. |
| Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman, said on Monday after the announcement that some forces would stay behind and that both facilities would remain in operation. | Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman, said on Monday after the announcement that some forces would stay behind and that both facilities would remain in operation. |
| The deployment of Russian forces helped turn the tide of the war in the favor of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. The sudden announcement of their withdrawal will put pressure on the government in Damascus to be more flexible in peace talks with the opposition in Geneva. | The deployment of Russian forces helped turn the tide of the war in the favor of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. The sudden announcement of their withdrawal will put pressure on the government in Damascus to be more flexible in peace talks with the opposition in Geneva. |
| The withdrawal of the Russian forces was not entirely unexpected. Mr. Putin has achieved his main goals in Syria, including shoring up Moscow’s foremost Arab ally; preventing the West from forcing a leadership change from the outside; and burnishing Russia’s image as a major player on the world stage. | The withdrawal of the Russian forces was not entirely unexpected. Mr. Putin has achieved his main goals in Syria, including shoring up Moscow’s foremost Arab ally; preventing the West from forcing a leadership change from the outside; and burnishing Russia’s image as a major player on the world stage. |
| In addition, should Mr. Assad require renewed support on the battlefield, the small but effective Russian force could easily be redeployed. | In addition, should Mr. Assad require renewed support on the battlefield, the small but effective Russian force could easily be redeployed. |