Russia cuts military flights in Syria to 4 a week – defense minister

Russia has cut its military flights in Syria from more than 100 per day to fewer than four a week, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday. Moscow launched airstrikes in Syria in September 2015 and formally ceased its military operation in Syria a year ago after helping to clear it of militants. Shoigu told an annual meeting of top brass that Russia’s Air Force had seen a drastic reduction in the number of sorties in Syria, TASS reports. “Flights have been reduced from 100-110 per day to two to four sorties per week, mainly for additional reconnaissance,” he said. Shoigu told the meeting, attended by President Vladimir Putin, that Russia “had completed the withdrawal of its main forces from Syria,” not including those based at its Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base.