Russia sums up results of its operation in Syria

Russia's Armed Forces have been courageously and effectively fighting terrorists in Syria, President Vladimir Putin said at the Defense Ministry’s board meeting.

The President expressing gratitude to those military servicemen who took part in the operation against terrorists in Syria. "While fighting against international terrorism, which is a global threat, our soldiers and officers showed great courage and high professional skills, proving that the Russian Army’s capability has grown immensely," Putin stressed.

According to the Russian leader, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the country’s Aerospace Force "played the leading role in defeating the strongest units of international terrorists." Putin stressed that it was a whole terrorist army, well-organized and trained and armed.

Putin also said that Russian and Syrian troops had managed to liberate almost all of the Syrian territory from militants, saving hundreds of thousands of lives, preserving the Syrian statehood and paving the way for the process of resolving the domestic Syrian conflict peacefully.

Putin promised that Russia would do everything in order to support the families of military servicemen who died during the Syrian operation. "We will always remember our brothers in arms who died protecting Russia and its people," he said.

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, in turn, said that almost 50 000 Russian military servicemen have gained invaluable experience in Syria. "More than 48,000 Russian military servicemen have gained invaluable experience in Syria. Of these, over 14,000 were decorated with state awards," the minister said.

He said that in the past five years, the Russian Defense Ministry received 80 intercontinental ballistic missiles, 102 ballistic missiles for submarines and three Borei-class ballistic missile submarines.

"The Strategic Missile Forces will put into operation 11 launchers of Yars mobile missile systems. The first Project 955A Knyaz Vladimir nuclear submarine, armed with Bulava ballistic missiles, will join the Navy," he said.

President of the International Association of Veterans of the Alpha Anti-Terrorism Unit, Sergey Goncharov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the Russian army has greatly increased its fighting efficiency in the Syrian battles. "The main backbone of our military security services and those servicemen who serve within this special operation have received serious assistance in the practice of military operations. To some extent, Syria served as a criterion for determining the combat capability of our aviation and our special forces," he said.

"I also heard that our successes gave impetus to the interest of many countries in our armaments. Now our arms sales are increasing. Of course, one should not forget that ISIS will flee to other countries, especially Afghanistan. If the terrorist group moves its human, technical and financial resources to Afghanistan, there will be a threat of terrorists penetrating our country through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Of course, we have more positive moments, and most importantly, the armed Russian forces are on the rise and we have shown the whole world that we know how to fight," Sergey Goncharov stressed.

The director of the EEU Institute, Vladimir Lepekhin, in turn, recalled that Russia announced its special operation in Syria during a hybrid war. "It was important for Russia to show that it is a country that has the potential of one of the leading political powers in the world," he said.

"The most hot spot at the time was Syria. Our president repeatedly stressed that Russia does not pursue any mercantile interests in Syria. The position of the West, aimed at changing the world order in favor of the United States, forced Russia to take active steps to protect international law. And on the Syrian bridgehead it was the support of the Syrian government army's defensive actions," Vladimir Lepekhin drew attention.

"As a result, all the participants in world politics saw that, first, Russia consistently upholds the principles of international law, does not set goals for expansion and very consistently and legitimately defends those governments that asked Moscow to help them - and second, that Russia has military defense power," the director of the EEU Institute concluded.