Putin: Operation in Syria would be limited by the Syrian army’s offensive

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Sunday that the time frame of the Russian military operation in Syria would be limited by the Syrian army’s offensive.

Putin added in an interview with Russia 1 TV channel that the Russian military mission in Syria aims at working to secure stability and create the conditions for a political solution to the crisis.

Answering a question about whether Russia would take part in ground operation in Syria, “This is out of question,” Putin told Russia TV channel, adding “Whatever happens, we’re not going to do this, and our Syrian friends know about it.”

“We have absolutely no desire to recreate the empire,” or interfere in any sectarian conflicts, said Putin.

The Russian President made it clear that Syria operation was well-planned beforehead, it was not some spontaneous action.

“We have continuously carried out aerial and space reconnaissance, comparing the data we obtained from different sources, and the specialists from the General Staff… in coordination with their partners established, as you know, the Information Center in Baghdad,” Putin explained.

He renewed stress that Russia informed its “partners in the United States, many other partners, especially in the region of the Middle East about our intentions and our plans,” noting that Moscow is not losing hope that other countries will join its operation in Syria.

Putin emphasized that the simplest way to fight terrorists is that foreign partners join Russia in its efforts to combat terrorism since Russia had gotten the approval of the official authorities in Syria to conduct air strikes, noting that many leaders in the Middle East countries are well aware of the threat of terrorism and ready to participate in combating terrorism.

The Russian President pointed out that the United States planned to train 12000 militant within the training program of the so-called Free Army. Later, they reduced the number to 6000 but at the end they trained 60 militants, only four or five of them fought ISIS terrorists.
“They spent 500 million dollars for that .. It would have been better if the United States gave us these millions and we would have used them in a better way in combating terrorism,” Putin added.

The threat of terrorism exists in many countries but Islamic countries and Russia can be the victims in the first place, Putin said.

“The terrorist threat looms over many countries in the region… It is us, the countries of the region, the Islamic countries, who are the first victims of terrorism, and are willing to fight them,” the Russian president said.

The risk of terrorists’ involvement in terrorist operations in Russia has been there even before conducting military operations in Syria, he added.

Putin pointed out that supplying the Russian troops with the most developed weapons is not related to what is happening in Syria, but it is a decision taken ten years ago when necessary plans and tasks were laid out.