Russian Air Force

Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 17 declared his country's Syria mission a resounding success, but stressed Russia would continue to support the Syrian government and could build up its military presence in the region again within hours if necessary. 

Russia will complete the withdrawal of the bulk of its forces from Syria before the end of the week, a top Russian general suggested in an interview published on March 17.

According to the Russian Air force Commander in Chief, Colonel Viktor Bondarev the withdrawal of the largest part of Russian forces from Syria will be completed within the next two to three days. Speaking to Russian newspaper ‘Kosmomolskaya Pravda’. Israel has asked for reassurances from Russia that its withdrawal will not strengthen Hezbollah and Shiite paramilitary groups in Syria.

Russia is ready to coordinate with the United States to retake the rebel strongholds of Syria's Raqqa and Palmyra, said Russian FM Sergei Lavrov, as United Nations-sponsored peace talks resumed in Geneva. 

The U.K. said on Feb. 24 that it had seen "disturbing evidence" that Syrian Kurds are coordinating with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Russian air force.

Syrian peace talks are expected to begin within the next few days, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Jan. 20 following a meeting with his U.S. counterpart in Zurich, rejecting suggestions the negotiations might be delayed until February.

Syrian soil will not become part of Russia's "imperial goals," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu vowed on Dec. 22, saying those who oppress the Syrian people will have to face Turkey. 

Investigators in Moscow said on Dec. 21 they were unable to retrieve information from the damaged black box of a Russian warplane shot down by Turkey last month, data the Kremlin hoped would support its version of what happened.

Russia on Dec. 18 began examining the black box of its warplane that was shot down over Turkey's border with Syria, again contesting Ankara's claim it had violated Turkish airspace.

Russians opened the black box from the Russian Su-24 bomber’s black boxes in a live telecast. The box belonged to the jet that was bombed by Turkey for reportedly entering its air space.

The first examination found that chips removed from the black box are slightly damaged and will need to be x-rayed in the laboratory, said the Russian deputy head of Aerospace Forces at a briefing.