Russian military jets, including transport planes, fighters and bombers, which were involved in a five-month campaign in Syria, started on Tuesday to depart the Khmeimim airbase.

Russian military jets, including transport planes, fighters and bombers, which were involved in a five-month campaign in Syria, started on Tuesday to depart the Khmeimim airbase, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in statement.

"The first group of warplanes have departed from the Latakia airbase," the statement read.

“The first group of Russian planes has left the Khmeimim base and flew towards their respective bases in Russia. The formation is led by a Tu-154 and includes Su-34 multipurpose bombers,” the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Kremlin announced that the Russian army will keep its most advanced aerial defense system deployed in Syria.

On Monday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s decision to withdraw the main part of Russian forces from its Syrian airbase in Latakia. This brings to an end the anti-terror operation launched on September 30, 2015. Putin explained that the operation’s objectives have been generally achieved.

To control the observation of ceasefire agreements in the region, Moscow will maintain its Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province and a base at the port of Tartus, he added.

The announcement came as the UN-mediated talks on Syria resumed in Geneva on Monday.