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| First Russian Jets Leave Syria After Putin’s Withdrawal Order | First Russian Jets Leave Syria After Putin’s Withdrawal Order |
| (about 2 hours 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 his country’s forces. | 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 his country’s forces. |
| 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 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 to the base starting in September. | The statement did not specify the number of aircraft. Russia deployed about 50 fighter jets and attack helicopters to 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. The Defense Ministry later released a video of Russian fighter jets flying home, and Su-34 warplanes landed soon after. | 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. The Defense Ministry later released a video of Russian fighter jets flying home, and Su-34 warplanes landed soon after. |
| The Rossiya 24 satellite news channel broadcast live footage of the first two fighter jets landing at an air base in the southern city of Voronezh. The first pilot to emerge was repeatedly carried aloft by fellow soldiers on the ground, as a small crowd of well-wishers waved Russian flags and a brass band played. | The Rossiya 24 satellite news channel broadcast live footage of the first two fighter jets landing at an air base in the southern city of Voronezh. The first pilot to emerge was repeatedly carried aloft by fellow soldiers on the ground, as a small crowd of well-wishers waved Russian flags and a brass band played. |
| 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 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. | |
| Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations mediator for Syria, praised Mr. Putin in a statement on Tuesday, calling the withdrawal a “significant development” as peace talks resumed in Geneva. | Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations mediator for Syria, praised Mr. Putin in a statement on Tuesday, calling the withdrawal a “significant development” as peace talks resumed in Geneva. |
| Mr. de Mistura said he hoped the announcement would “have a positive impact on the progress of the negotiations in Geneva aimed at achieving a political solution of the Syrian conflict and a peaceful political transition in the country.” | Mr. de Mistura said he hoped the announcement would “have a positive impact on the progress of the negotiations in Geneva aimed at achieving a political solution of the Syrian conflict and a peaceful political transition in the country.” |
| Syrian opposition negotiators, who were to hold their first formal meeting with Mr. de Mistura, also expressed hope that the Russian pullout would give new impetus to the talks. | |
| “We read it as a positive move because Assad is putting a stick in the wheel of the political process” that Russia, together with other powers, had set in motion, Farah Atassi, a member of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee, said in Geneva. “This is a very political message to the Assad regime that he cannot rely on them all the time and has to play by the rules.” | |
| Although the timing of the announcement caught Western powers by surprise, 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. | Although the timing of the announcement caught Western powers by surprise, 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. |
| Amid anxiety over the Russian move, the Syrian pound weakened to 425 to the dollar, a record. The mood among government loyalists in Damascus remained glum and uncertain, with rampant questions on social media and in private conversations about why Russia would step back in the middle of an offensive to take back Palmyra from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. | Amid anxiety over the Russian move, the Syrian pound weakened to 425 to the dollar, a record. The mood among government loyalists in Damascus remained glum and uncertain, with rampant questions on social media and in private conversations about why Russia would step back in the middle of an offensive to take back Palmyra from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. |
| But at the same time, heavy Russian airstrikes on the city continued on Tuesday. Footage of the attacks was broadcast on the Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen, which is close to the Damascus government. | But at the same time, heavy Russian airstrikes on the city continued on Tuesday. Footage of the attacks was broadcast on the Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen, which is close to the Damascus government. |
| Seeking to capitalize on the confusion, the Nusra Front, the Qaeda affiliate in Syria, said in statements to the news media that it would begin a new offensive in 48 hours. | Seeking to capitalize on the confusion, the Nusra Front, the Qaeda affiliate in Syria, said in statements to the news media that it would begin a new offensive in 48 hours. |
| The Nusra Front has clashed recently with American-backed rebel groups in the northern province of Idlib, where tensions have risen after protests broke out during the recent partial cease-fire. | The Nusra Front has clashed recently with American-backed rebel groups in the northern province of Idlib, where tensions have risen after protests broke out during the recent partial cease-fire. |
| Demonstrators carried the flags of the pre-Baathist Syrian state, as Nusra militants denounced a pro-democracy movement and insisted on the use of its black flag, which carries the Islamic declaration of faith. | Demonstrators carried the flags of the pre-Baathist Syrian state, as Nusra militants denounced a pro-democracy movement and insisted on the use of its black flag, which carries the Islamic declaration of faith. |
| In the ensuing clashes, the militants forced a major rebel group, Division 13, out of its headquarters in the town of Maarat al-Noaman; protesters later attacked and burned a Nusra Front office. | In the ensuing clashes, the militants forced a major rebel group, Division 13, out of its headquarters in the town of Maarat al-Noaman; protesters later attacked and burned a Nusra Front office. |