FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a surprise visit to a military air base in Syria, marking a mission-accomplished moment for the leader months ahead of a presidential election.
Mr. Putin landed Monday [12-11-17] at Hmeimim air base, a military outpost in Syria’s Latakia province that has been the main launching point for Russian warplanes backing the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In remarks to Russian troops, he claimed victory, saying Russian forces and their allies had ‘defeated the most battle-ready grouping of international terrorists; opposing Mr. Assad.
The Russian president said he was ordering the bulk of the Russian military contingent in Syria to begin withdrawal, but he added that Moscow would maintain two permanent bases in Syria—the Hmeimim air base and a naval station in Tartus…
Monday’s visit comes amid a play by Mr. Putin to shape post-conflict outcomes in Syria, as Islamic State is ousted from its final strongholds…
The Russian government intervened directly on the side of Mr. Assad in the fall of 2015, reversing the course of the war and rescuing the Damascus government from near-defeat. Mr. Putin billed military intervention as a campaign against extremist groups such as Islamic State, but U.S. officials and international observers said his warplanes often targeted opposition rebel groups, some of which have been supported by the U.S. and its allies.”
-Nathan Hodge, “Putin Declares Victory in Surprise Stopover in Syria,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 11, 2017 10:30am