Russia begins military withdrawal from Syria
President Vladimir Putin orders aircraft carrier to return home after ceasefire deal
Russia is scaling back its military involvement in the Syria conflict, starting with the withdrawal of its only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, the country's top general has confirmed.
Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov said: "In accordance with the decision of the supreme commander of the Russian armed forces Vladimir Putin, the Russian defence ministry is beginning the reduction of the armed deployment to Syria."
The announcement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime reached a ceasefire deal with rebel forces. Peace talks are expected to begin later in Kazakhstan this month.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Russia's air strikes, which began merely hours after being approved by parliament in 2015, "helped turn the tide in favour of the Syrian government's ailing forces" by breaking the stalemate which dominated the early stages of the conflict, says Al-Jazeera.
At the time, Putin said Russia was acting "preventatively, to fight and destroy militants and terrorists" and the Kremlin has maintained that its bombers have exclusively targeted jihadists.
However, Moscow has been accused of committing war crimes by knowingly bombing civilians and moderate, western-backed rebel forces.
"The Assad regime and Russia make the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) look hesitant by comparison when it comes to mass homicide in Syria," says The Atlantic.
The magazine also claims that the two countries' joint operation to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo included strikes on "aid convoys, hospitals, homes, market places, and mosques".
As for why Russia has chosen to withdraw from the conflict now, with rebels still in control of much of Idlib province, the answer may lie in the divergence between Assad's objective – to re-establish control of the whole of Syria - and Moscow's own motivations.
"Unlike Syria and Iran, Russia has no interest in fighting for territory," Michael Kofman of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, told the BBC.
The Kremlin's goal has been to "steadily destroy the moderate Syrian opposition on the battlefield, leaving only jihadist forces in play", he says, ultimately "leaving no viable alternatives for the west in this conflict come 2017."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Sleaze baack!'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 20 - 26 April
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Humza Yousaf clears the decks to battle no-confidence vote
Speed Read First minister is 'done', according to insider, but a single vote could change the balance
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?
Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The issue of women and conscription
Under the radar Ukraine military adviser hints at widening draft to women, as other countries weigh defence options amid global insecurity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine's unconventional approach to reconstruction
Under the radar Digitally savvy nation uses popular app to file compensation claims, access funds and rebuild destroyed homes
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Ukraine's leadership reset work?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy hints at ousting of popular military chief, but risks backlash amid dwindling munitions, delayed funding and Russian bombardment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years: how powerful is Pakistan's military?
Today's Big Question The country's armed forces ignore country's economic woes, control its institutions and, critics say, engineer election results
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Iran's endgame?
Today's Big Question Tehran seeks to supplant US and Saudi Arabia as dominant power in Middle East while forcing Israel to end Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel proposes two-month pause in Gaza war in exchange for all Hamas hostages
Speed Read Deal doesn't include an agreement to end war, but might be 'the only path that could lead to a ceasefire', said US officials
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Nato official warns of all-out war with Russia in next 20 years
Speed Read Civilians must prepare for life-changing conflict and mass mobilisation, says military chief
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published