“The main goal of the operation by our Aerospace Forces in Syria was the protection of the Russian border from terrorists, including from Russia and other CIS countries, that number to around 5,000 individuals,” Lukyanov told RIA Novosti.
He said that approximately 2,000 terrorists had been killed during Russia’s operations.
Lukyanov added that Russian military presence would remain at Syria’s Tartus Naval Base and at the Hmeymim Airbase to continue strikes against terrorists.
Evgeny Lukyanov also stated that Russia planned that its military operations in Syria would be short-term from the very beginning.
“The operation was planned as short-term and has been completed. The intensity of our operations during this period is incomparable to that which was being done for two years in Syria by the [US-led] international coalition. Thanks to our Aerospace Forces, the military and political bases of the terrorists has been disrupted,” Lukyanov said.
