Image copyright Russian Defence Ministry Image caption Russian bombers turned the tide decisively in favour of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Russia is starting to withdraw forces from Syria and its aircraft carrier group will be the first to leave, the Russian armed forces chief says.

The announcement comes days after Russia and Turkey negotiated a ceasefire in Syria which is largely holding, according to the UN.

Russia has carried out air strikes on anti-government rebels since 2015.

Moscow's involvement is credited with turning the war in favour of its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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"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," Gen Valery Gerasimov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

Tasks set for the carrier group, led by the Admiral Kuznetsov vessel, had been completed, the commander of the Russian force in Syria Col-Gen Andrei Kartapolov was quoted as saying.

Col-Gen Kartapolov said Russia still had sufficient air defence capabilities in its S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems deployed in Syria, AFP news agency reported.

The force reduction follows an order from President Putin on 29 December, days after Syrian government troops finally ousted rebels from the key battleground city of Aleppo in their biggest victory since the uprising against President Assad began in 2011.

Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is now pushing for peace talks to be held later this month in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana.

Russia first launched air strikes in Syria in September 2015, saying they were targeting the fighters of so-called Islamic State.

Last March, Russia announced it was withdrawing forces but continued air strikes.

End of a chapter, not an era - Jonathan Marcus, diplomatic correspondent, BBC News

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The naval group led by the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has played a minor role in the fighting

This is not Russia's first "withdrawal" from Syria. In March 2016 President Putin announced the start of a pull-out. Some warplanes were flown out.

But Russia's military role continued and its air power remained decisive. Russia has aircraft, air defences and artillery deployed in Syria, along with many advisers working with Syrian government forces. But we have never been able to ascertain the exact scale of the Russian forces involved.

The initial phase of the Russian "draw-down" involves the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its naval group, which has hardly played a major role in the fighting. Russia's stated intention is to build up its bases in Syria for the long-term, but Mr Putin may be signalling that in Moscow's view, with the fall of Aleppo and the entrenchment of the Assad regime, one important phase of the fighting is over.</s>Russia begins drawdown of forces in Syria, military says

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 the war-torn country.

"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 General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov as saying.

General Gerasimov said Russia's naval fleet led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, which has been operating in the Mediterranean off the Syrian coast, would be the first to return from Syria.

Moscow has been a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Government and forces in the country's devastating civil war.

Mr Putin said in December Russia had agreed to reduce its military deployment in Syria under the terms of a ceasefire deal between Syrian opposition groups and the Assad Government.

Airstrikes from the Admiral Kuzetsov began in mid-November — the first time the carrier has been used in combat.

Russia and Turkey — a strong supporter of Syria's moderate opposition — brokered the current ceasefire, which came into effect on December 30 last year.

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 ceasefire is meant to pave the way for peace negotiations in Kazakhstan's capital Astana later this month.

The gathering could give new impetus for United Nations-mediated talks between Syria's warring sides.</s>Russia has started to cut back its forces in Syria, beginning with an aircraft carrier group, Russian state news agency TASS reported Friday.

Warships led by Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, will be the first to leave the conflict area, the chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, is quoted as saying.

It is not clear if the Kuznetsov’s warplanes will leave with it or if any will stay behind in Latakia, Syria.

The reported initial withdrawal of forces come as a nationwide ceasefire — negotiated between Russia, Turkey and the Syrian government as well as Iran and Syrian rebel groups late last year — largely holds across the country, according to the United Nations.

Russia’s air strikes since 2015 in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been crucial in helping them to gain the upper hand in the long-running conflict and pushing rebel fighters from the key city of Aleppo in December.

The decision to cut Russia’s military presence in Syria was made by Putin at the recommendation of his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Dec. 29, according to Russia’s state-run agency Sputnik.

“In accordance with the decision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry is beginning to reduce the Armed Forces grouping in Syria,” Gerasimov reportedly said.

The warships led by the Kuznetsov will leave the Mediterranean on Friday headed for Severomorsk, in Russia’s northern Murmansk region, Gerasimov said.

The commander of the Russian military force in Syria, Col. Gen. Andrei Kartapolov, was quoted by Sputnik Friday as saying that war planes operating from the aircraft carrier group had carried out 420 sorties in two months, destroying “1,252 terrorist targets” in Syria. They began operations off Syria’s coast on November 8, Sputnik said.

If the ceasefire holds, peace negotiations are slated to take place in late January in Astana, Kazakhstan.

But rebel groups have complained of “Syrian regime violations” since the ceasefire came into force December 30 and warned that they could boycott the talks if they continue.

The Free Syrian Army and other armed groups say the regime is continuing its siege of rebel-held areas outside Damascus — and claim government forces have launched an assault on Wadi Barada, which supplies the capital with much of its water.

The opposition fears the regime is using the truce to regroup and selectively pick off rebel-held areas it wants to regain. But the regime says it’s going after “terrorists” who were deliberately excluded from the agreement.

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said Thursday that he welcomed the UN Security Council’s unanimous support of a resolution backing the ceasefire plan brokered by Russia and Turkey.

“There are incidents, we know about them, we are informed, and we are trying and hoping that the two guarantors, and we trust they will, succeed in overcoming them so that they reach the point in which the cessation of hostilities will be recognized and working this time,” he said.

The United Nations hopes that positive talks in Kazakhstan will lead in to talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in February, he said.

Jan Egeland, the UN senior adviser on Syria, speaking at the same briefing, said there was “a lot of fighting” in rural Damascus, as well as Homs and Hama, which had meant five out of 21 locations for planned aid convoys had been denied.

“So it is not over, even though the cessation of hostilities is largely holding in large parts of the country, there are tremendous dramas for the civilian population still, and we are denied access still in too many places,” he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that he had been in contact with his Russian and Turkish counterparts and others, “talking about how we would build conceivably on what happens in Astana, if it can happen, in order to get to Geneva and get to the real negotiations that the international community supports.”</s>Moscow (CNN) Russia has started to cut back its forces in Syria, beginning with an aircraft carrier group, Russian state news agency TASS reported Friday.

Warships led by Russia's sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, will be the first to leave the conflict area, the chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, is quoted as saying.

It is not clear if the Kuznetsov's warplanes will leave with it or if any will stay behind in Latakia, Syria.

The reported initial withdrawal of forces come as a nationwide ceasefire -- negotiated between Russia, Turkey and the Syrian government as well as Iran and Syrian rebel groups late last year -- largely holds across the country, according to the United Nations.

Aleppo: 'The soul of the city is still there'

Aleppo: 'The soul of the city is still there' 04:37

Aleppo: 'The soul of the city is still there'

Russia's air strikes since 2015 in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been crucial in helping them to gain the upper hand in the long-running conflict and pushing rebel fighters from the key city of Aleppo in December.

The decision to cut Russia's military presence in Syria was made by Putin at the recommendation of his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on December 29, according to Russia's state-run agency Sputnik.

"In accordance with the decision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry is beginning to reduce the Armed Forces grouping in Syria," Gerasimov reportedly said.

If the ceasefire holds, peace negotiations are slated to take place in late January in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Free Syrian Army and other armed groups say the regime is continuing its siege of rebel-held areas outside Damascus -- and claim government forces have launched an assault on Wadi Barada, which supplies the capital with much of its water.

UN: 'It is not over'

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said Thursday that he welcomed the UN Security Council's unanimous support of a resolution backing the ceasefire plan brokered by Russia and Turkey.

"There are incidents, we know about them, we are informed, and we are trying and hoping that the two guarantors, and we trust they will, succeed in overcoming them so that they reach the point in which the cessation of hostilities will be recognized and working this time," he said.

The United Nations hopes that positive talks in Kazakhstan will lead in to talks in Geneva, Switzerland, in February, he said.

Jan Egeland, the UN senior adviser on Syria, speaking at the same briefing, said there was "a lot of fighting" in rural Damascus, as well as Homs and Hama, which had meant five out of 21 locations for planned aid convoys had been denied.

"So it is not over, even though the cessation of hostilities is largely holding in large parts of the country, there are tremendous dramas for the civilian population still, and we are denied access still in too many places," he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that he had been in contact with his Russian and Turkish counterparts and others, "talking about how we would build conceivably on what happens in Astana, if it can happen, in order to get to Geneva and get to the real negotiations that the international community supports."</s>Russia is starting to withdraw forces from Syria and its aircraft carrier group would be the first to leave, the Russian Armed Forces said.

Tasks set for the carrier group, led by the Admiral Kuznetsov vessel, had been completed, the commander of the Russian force in Syria Col-Gen Andrei Kartapolov was quoted as saying.

The announcement is coming days after Russia and Turkey negotiated a ceasefire in Syria, which according to the UN, is largely holding.

Russia has carried out air strikes on anti-government rebels since 2015.

Moscow’s involvement is credited with turning the war in favour of its ally, Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad.

Russian news agencies quoted General Valery Gerasimov as saying: “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.”</s>Warships led by Russia's sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, will be the first to leave the conflict area, the chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, is quoted as saying.

It is not clear if the Kuznetsov's warplanes will leave with it or if any will stay behind in Latakia, Syria.

The reported initial withdrawal of forces come as a nationwide ceasefire -- negotiated between Russia, Turkey and the Syrian government as well as Iran and Syrian rebel groups late last year -- largely holds across the country, according to the United Nations.

Russia's air strikes since 2015 in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been crucial in helping them to gain the upper hand in the long-running conflict and pushing rebel fighters from the key city of Aleppo in December.

The decision to cut Russia's military presence in Syria was made by Putin at the recommendation of his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on December 29, according to Russia's state-run agency Sputnik. If the ceasefire holds, peace negotiations are slated to take place in late January in Kazakhstan. But rebel groups have complained of "Syrian regime violations" since the ceasefire came into force December 30 and warned that they could boycott the talks if they continue.</s>Russia says it starts Syrian drawdown with aircraft carrier

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.

 

A Russian military official says the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and accompanying ships will be the first to leave.

 

He tells state news agency Tass that "in accordance with the decision by the supreme commander-in-chief (President) Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry is starting to downsize the grouping of armed forces in Syria."

 

Moscow has been a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and forces in the Mideast country's devastating civil war.</s>Russia announced on Friday that it is withdrawing its aircraft carrier and some other Russian warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in a drawdown of its forces in the war-torn Mideast country.

According to Russian General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and accompanying ships are to be the first to leave.

Watch what else is in the news

Gerasimov was quoted as saying by the state news agency Tass that “in accordance with the decision by the supreme commander-in-chief (President) Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry is starting to downsize the grouping of armed forces in Syria.”

Moscow has been a key supporter of President Bashar Assad’s government and forces in Syria’s devastating civil war.

Gerasimov did not give further details on the force reduction, which follows an order by Putin on Dec. 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 on Dec. 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.</s>Russia has announced it is withdrawing its aircraft carrier and some other warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in a reduction of its forces in the war-torn Middle East country.

General Staff chief General Valery Gerasimov said the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and accompanying ships will be the first to leave.

Gen Gerasimov was quoted by state news agency Tass as saying: “In accordance with the decision by the supreme commander-in-chief (President) Vladimir Putin, the defence ministry is starting to downsize the grouping of armed forces in Syria.”

Moscow has been a key supporter of President Bashar al–Assad’s government and forces in Syria’s devastating civil war.

Gen Gerasimov did not give further details on the force reduction, which follows an order by Mr Putin on December 29th.

Syrian forces’ retaking of the city of Aleppo last month and a Russian/Turkish-brokered ceasefire, in place for nearly a week, make Russian forces less critical to Mr Assad, but it is unclear how extensive the military reduction will be.

Air strikes 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 crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in December as it returned to the carrier following a sortie over Syria, and 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 ceasefire, which came into effect on December 30th. The truce has mostly held but not altogether halted fighting in the country, and the government and opposition have blamed each other for violations.

The ceasefire is meant to pave the way for peace negotiations in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, later this month. The gathering could give new impetus for UN-mediated talks between Syria’s warring sides.</s>Moscow (ANTARA News) - Russia began a phaseout of its military presence in Syria on Friday, with the withdrawal of its aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov from the Mediterranean, said Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.



 The military reduction came after Russia and Turkey brokered a nationwide truce in Syria last week between the Syrian government and major opposition groups in the latest attempt to end nearly six years of civil war in the Middle East country.



 In accordance with a decision made by President Vladimir Putin, the Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, along with other vessels, is set to leave the conflict zone later Friday for its home base in Russia, said Gerasimov.



 The aircraft carrier group has completed assigned tasks in Syria in its first-ever combat mission, said Col. Gen. Andrei Kartapolov, the groups task force commander.



 The Russian Naval Aviation has destroyed more than 1,200 terrorist targets in 420 sorties over two months of operations in Syria, said Kartapolov.



 Russian military support played a pivotal role in the latest Syrian government victories on the battleground, said Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, chief of the Syrian Army General Staff, Xinhua reported.



 Russia and other potential mediators are expected to meet warring parties in Syria in Astana, Kazakhstan, later this month to seek settlement of the chronic crisis, which has claimed more than 300,000 lives and displaced nearly 11 million others.
Russia begins to withdraw its forces from Syria, with its aircraft carrier battle group being the first to leave. The United Nations says the ceasefire is "largely holding".