Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu to start the withdrawal of forces from Syria, Tuesday. The country will, however, keep a military presence in the port of Tartus and at the Khneimim airbase to observe the ceasefire. The Russian President said he considered the objectives set by the Russian military as accomplished. ‘Syrian government troops and patriotic forces have changed the situation in the fight with international terrorism and have a seized the initiative’, Putin said Monday. The Kremlin reported that Vladimir Putin and the Syrian President Bashar Assad had a phone conversation with the initiative of the first on Monday. According to these reports, Assad recognised the professionalism of the Russian forces and the role they played in helping the Syrian army reverse the situation against the terrorists.