Putin in Syria says mission accomplished orders partial Russian pull
Vladimir Putin
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin flew into Syria and ordered “a significant part” of Moscow’s military contingent there to start withdrawing on Monday  declaring their work largely done.
 Putin   who polls show will be re-elected comfortably in March  made the announcement during a surprise visit to Russia’s Hmeymim air base in Syria -  his  first since Russia intervened in the conflict. He held talks with President Bashar al-Assad and addressed Russian forces.
The first leg in a three-country one-day whirlwind diplomatic visit which sees  Putin  also meeting his Egyptian and Turkish counterparts   Putin  is keen to leverage the heightened Middle East influence that Syria has given  him  to cast  himself  as a leader who can do diplomacy as well as military force.
The Kremlin first launched air strikes in Syria in September 2015 in its biggest Middle East intervention in decades  turning the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favor. Now that it regards that mission complete   Putin  wants to help broker a peace deal.
“In just over two years  Russia’s armed forces and the Syrian army have defeated the most battle-hardened group of international terrorists ”  Putin  told Russian servicemen.
A “significant part” of the Russian force could now return home. “The conditions for a political solution under the auspices of the United Nations have been created ” said  Putin . “The Motherland awaits you.”
Washington was skeptical about  Putin ’s statement.
 Putin  made clear in any case that Russia would retain enough firepower to destroy any possible Islamic State comeback.
Syrian state television quoted Assad as thanking  Putin  for Russia’s help  saying the blood of Moscow’s “martyrs” had been mixed with the blood of the Syrian army. It also showed the two men watching what it called a victory parade with Russian troops dressed in desert uniforms marching past.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (2nd R) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) visit the Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province  Syria December 11  2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik via REUTERS
Russia’s “mission accomplished” moment in Syria may help  Putin  increase the turnout at the March presidential election by appealing to the patriotism of voters.
Though polls show  he  will easily win  they also show that some Russians are increasingly apathetic about politics  and  Putin ’s supporters are keen to get  him  re-elected on a big turnout  which in their eyes confers legitimacy.
 Putin   who with the help of state TV has dominated Russia’s political landscape for the last 17 years  told Russian servicemen they would return home as victors.
Speaking in front of a row of servicemen holding Russian flags   Putin  said  his  military had proved its might and that Moscow had succeeded in keeping Syria intact as a “sovereign independent state.”
“I congratulate you!”  Putin  told the servicemen.
 Putin  is keen to organize a special event in Russia - the Syrian Congress on National Dialogue - that Moscow hopes will bring together the Syrian government and opposition and try to hammer out a new constitution.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin flew into Syria and ordered “a significant part” of Moscow’s military contingent there to start withdrawing on Monday  declaring their work largely done.
 Putin   who polls show will be re-elected comfortably in March  made the announcement during a surprise visit to Russia’s Hmeymim air base in Syria -  his  first since Russia intervened in the conflict. He held talks with President Bashar al-Assad and addressed Russian forces.
The first leg in a three-country one-day whirlwind diplomatic visit which sees  Putin  also meeting his Egyptian and Turkish counterparts   Putin  is keen to leverage the heightened Middle East influence that Syria has given  him  to cast  himself  as a leader who can do diplomacy as well as military force.
The Kremlin first launched air strikes in Syria in September 2015 in its biggest Middle East intervention in decades  turning the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favor. Now that it regards that mission complete   Putin  wants to help broker a peace deal.
“In just over two years  Russia’s armed forces and the Syrian army have defeated the most battle-hardened group of international terrorists ”  Putin  told Russian servicemen.
A “significant part” of the Russian force could now return home. “The conditions for a political solution under the auspices of the United Nations have been created ” said  Putin . “The Motherland awaits you.”
Washington was skeptical about  Putin ’s statement.
 Putin  made clear in any case that Russia would retain enough firepower to destroy any possible Islamic State comeback.
Syrian state television quoted Assad as thanking  Putin  for Russia’s help  saying the blood of Moscow’s “martyrs” had been mixed with the blood of the Syrian army. It also showed the two men watching what it called a victory parade with Russian troops dressed in desert uniforms marching past.
[TGT] and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) visit the Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province  Syria December 11  2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik via REUTERS
Russia’s “mission accomplished” moment in Syria may help  Putin  increase the turnout at the March presidential election by appealing to the patriotism of voters.
Though polls show  he  will easily win  they also show that some Russians are increasingly apathetic about politics  and  Putin ’s supporters are keen to get  him  re-elected on a big turnout  which in their eyes confers legitimacy.
 [TGT]told Russian servicemen they would return home as victors.
Speaking in front of a row of servicemen holding Russian flags   Putin  said  his  military had proved its might and that Moscow had succeeded in keeping Syria intact as a “sovereign independent state.”
“I congratulate you!”  Putin  told the servicemen.
 Putin  is keen to organize a special event in Russia - the Syrian Congress on National Dialogue - that Moscow hopes will bring together the Syrian government and opposition and try to hammer out a new constitution.