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Russia Says It Is Pulling Out of Syria

by Reuters

   MOSCOW --

   Russia says it is withdrawing its aircraft carrier and some other
   warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in drawing down
   forces in Syria.

   Russian General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov said Friday that the
   Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and accompanying ships are to be the first to
   leave.
   "In accordance with the decision of the Supreme Commander of the Armed
   Forces of the Russian Federation, (President) Vladimir Putin, the
   Russian Defence Ministry is beginning to reduce its armed forces
   deployment in Syria," TASS news agency quoted Valery Gerasimov as
   saying.

   Moscow has been a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad's
   government and forces in the Mideast country's devastating civil war.
   Gerasimov did not give further details on the force reduction, which
   follows an order by Putin December 29.
   Syrian forces' retaking of the city of Aleppo last month and a
   subsequent Russia- and Turkey-brokered cease-fire, in place for nearly
   a week now, make Russian forces less critical to Assad, but it is
   unclear how extensive the drawdown might be.

   Airstrikes from the Admiral Kuzetsov began in mid-November, the first
   time the carrier has been used in combat. It has lost two aircraft: An
   Su-33 fighter jet that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in December as
   it returned to the carrier following a sortie over Syria. In November,
   a MiG-29 crashed into the sea while trying to land on the carrier.
   Russia and Turkey, a strong supporter of Syria's moderate opposition,
   brokered the current cease-fire, which came into effect December 30.
   The truce has mostly held but not altogether halted fighting in the
   country, and the government and opposition have blamed each other for
   violations of the truce.
   The cease-fire is meant to pave the way for peace negotiations in
   Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, later this month. The gathering could
   give new impetus for U.N.-mediated talks between Syria's warring sides