On 14 March 2016 , Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that the mission which he had set for the Russian military in Syria was " on the whole accomplished " and ordered withdrawal of the " main part " of the Russian forces from Syria . The move was announced on the day when peace talks on Syria resumed in Geneva . The Russian leader , however , did not give a deadline for the completion of the withdrawal . He also said that both Russian military bases in Syria ( naval base in Tartus and airbase in Khmeimim ) will continue to operate in " routine mode " , as the Russian servicemen there will be engaged in monitoring the ceasefire regime
peace talks on Syria
Geneva peace talks on Syria (2016)
Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War