MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia pursues only one goal in Syria and it is countering international terrorism, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
"In Syria, Russia is pursuing only one specific goal, it has been determined and announced — it is the fight against the international terrorism," Zakharova told Russia's Govorit Moskva broadcaster.
In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pullout of the bulk of the Russian contingent in Syria as the anti-terrorist campaign's objectives had broadly been completed. At the same time, Russia did not abandon its obligations to provide the Syrian government with weapons and military equipment, train military specialists. Hmeimim air base and a naval facility in the port of Tartus remain operational while Russia's S-400 and Pantsir air defense systems continue to be on duty in Syria to protect Russian servicemen in the war-torn country.
