The Moscow Times noted that the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine caused it to withdraw some of its forces located in Syrian territory towards Ukraine.

The newspaper, which did not specify the exact number of troops that Russia withdrew, said that the latter withdrew some of its forces and sent them to 3 unknown airports in the Mediterranean in order to send them to Ukraine.

In 2015, Russia intervened directly in Syria in favor of the Assad regime, deploying troops and equipment to suppress the Syrian revolution, and using a scorched earth policy throughout the country.