MOSCOW: Russian state television on Tuesday showed personnel at Russia's air base in Syria loading equipment onto transport aircraft for return to Russia a day after President Vladimir Putin ordered the bulk of his country's military contingent there to start to withdraw.
The images, broadcast on the Rossiya 24 TV station, showed personnel loading equipment onto Ilyushin Il-76 heavy lift transport aircraft at Russia's Hmeymim air base in Latakia province.
The defence ministry said in a separate statement that technical staff had begun preparing aircraft to fly back to their bases in Russia.
Reuters
