“In a conversation with the Syrian president, Vladimir Putin congratulated his colleague on Syrian forces liberating the city of Palmyra from terrorists, noting the importance of preserving this unique historic city for world culture,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin added that his country’s armed forces would continue to assist the Damascus officials in the battle against terrorism and help them “rid their land from extremist groups” despite the partial pullout of Moscow’s military contingent from Syria.
During the conversation, the Russian leader also emphasized “the importance of preserving this unique historic city for world culture,” Peskov added.
Assad, in turn, “praised the help given by the Russian space and air forces,” stressing that “successes such as the liberation of Palmyra would be impossible without Russia’s support,” Peskov added.
In a separate phone call, Putin also exchanged views with UNESCO chief Irina Bokova about the fate of Palmyra, according to the Kremlin official.
Following four weeks of military operations against ISIS, Syrian forces, backed by popular defense groups and Russian air cover, wrested back control of Palmyra in the western province of Homs on Sunday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its military aircraft had hit nearly 160 ISIS targets near Palmyra over the past day in support of the Syrian army forces advancing on the historic city.
Earlier in the day, Assad said the victory in Palmyra shows the success of the army’s strategy in its battle against terrorists.
The Syrian army also vowed in a statement to step up their anti-ISIS offensives on various fronts “on top being Deir Ezzor and Raqqa,” two provinces in Syria’s east and north, respectively.
The London-based monitoring group also described Palmyra’s liberation as one of ISIS’s biggest defeats since it took control of swathes of land in Syria and neighboring Iraq some two years ago.
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