World Bulletin / News Desk

Moscow is “preparing” to reduce its military presence in Syria, Nikolay Patrushev, the head of Russia’s National Security Council, said Thursday.

According to Russian media reports, Patrushev announced that "preparations are underway" for a military withdrawal from Syria.

Last week, Russian Chief of General Staff General Valery Gerasimov said Russia would "probably" reduce its military presence in the war-torn country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, has previously said that military operations in Syria were “nearing completion”.