0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁President ▁Put in ▁author ized ▁Russian ▁military ▁inter vention ▁in ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁following ▁a ▁formal ▁request ▁by ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁government ▁for ▁military ▁help ▁against ▁re bel ▁and ▁j ih ad ist ▁groups . ▁ ▁The ▁Russian ▁military ▁activities ▁consisted ▁of ▁air ▁strik es , ▁cru ise ▁miss ile ▁strik es ▁and ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁front ▁line ▁advis ors ▁and ▁Russian ▁special ▁forces ▁against ▁milit ant ▁groups ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁government , ▁including ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁opposition , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁( IS IL ), ▁al - N us ra ▁Front ▁( al - Q a eda ▁in ▁the ▁Lev ant ), ▁T ah rir ▁al - Sh am , ▁A hr ar ▁al - Sh am ▁and ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Con quest . ▁After ▁Put in ' s ▁announ cement ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁that ▁the ▁mission ▁he ▁had ▁set ▁for ▁the ▁Russian ▁military ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁had ▁been ▁" larg ely ▁accomplished " ▁and ▁ordered ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁the ▁" main ▁part " ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁forces ▁from ▁Sy ria , ▁Russian ▁forces ▁deployed ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁continued ▁to ▁act ively ▁operate ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁government . ▁ ▁Russia ' s ▁inter ference ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁election ▁▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁U . S . ▁intelligence ▁community ▁assess ment ▁expressed ▁"