Moscow not attempting to apply pressure on Assad with withdrawal of military jets

Moscow is not attempting to apply pressure on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad by withdrawing its aerospace forces from the country, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

“The Russian President and Commander in Chief of the Russian Armed Forces took the decision based on the Russian troops’ results in Syria,” Peskov said, explaining that Russian President Vladimir Putin had come to the conclusion that the forces have achieved the tasks at hand in Syria.

Also read: Understanding Putin’s withdrawal from Syria

On Monday, Putin indicated that the Kremlin will start withdrawing its main forces in Syria, saying that the military has largely achieved its objectives.

The Kremlin said the decision “was in coordination with the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad”.