
© Andrei Aleksandrov / SputnikSU 25 jets
The Russian Defense Ministry has said that it is continuing to scale down its military presence in Syria, with the recent transfer of four Su-25 aircraft to Khmeimim airbase part of a planned troop rotation.
"In accordance with the order of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is implementing measures to reduce Russia's military presence in the Syrian Arab Republic," Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday.
He added that the Russian Navy's aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, and its group, which numbers more than 40 naval aviation aircraft, will be the first to return from the Mediterranean Sea to their base in Severomorsk, where Russia's Northern Fleet is permanent stationed.
"In addition, the first six Su-24 bombers have already been relocated from the Khmeimim airbase to the territory of the Russian Federation. The withdrawal of other aircraft, as well as pilots and technical staff from the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic is planned for the nearest future," Konashenkov noted.
He also said that, in the meantime, four Russian Su-25 airplanes, which NATO calls Frogfoots, have been deployed at Khmeimim, explaining that the transfer is part of a planned troop rotation.
Comment: Hopefully, this works out better than the agreement between Russia and the US.