DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — Maintaining Syria's statehood and identity is the most important achievement of the Russian aerial anti-terrorist campaign in the Arab country, Syrian State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs Ali Haidar told Sputnik.
"Maintaining the state with its identity and its current functions, determined by the Syrian people, and with the leadership elected by the Syrian people, is the most important achievement after one year of Russian troops' involvement [in the operation]," Haidar said.
He added that Russia had also played a crucial role in establishment of truce and provision of humanitarian aid to the crisis-torn Syria's regions.
"Humanitarian aid provided by Russia has covered many Syria's regions starting from Deir ez-Zor, Latakia, Homs, Quneitra and Rif Dimashq provinces… This aid proves again that Russia is on the side of the Syrian nation and not a participant of the war for Syria, but a participant of a war against terrorism," Haidar said.
In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pullout of the bulk of the Russian contingent in Syria as the anti-terrorist campaign's objectives had broadly been completed. At the same time, Russia did not abandon its obligations to provide the Syrian government with weapons and military equipment, train military specialists. The Hmeymim airbase and a naval facility in the port of Tartus remain operational while Russia's S-400 and Pantsir air defense systems continue to be on duty in Syria to protect Russian servicemen in the war-torn country.
