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Europe
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Russia says it starts Syrian drawdown with aircraft carrier

Associated Press
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    FILE - In this photo made from the footage taken from Russian Defense Ministry official web site on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier during its mission in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Russia says it is withdrawing the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and some other warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in drawing down forces in Syria. (File, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/ Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

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    FILE - In this 2004 file photo the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier sails in the Barents Sea, Russia. Russia says it is withdrawing the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and some other warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in drawing down forces in Syria. (AP Photo, file) (The Associated Press)

MOSCOW – Russia says it is withdrawing its aircraft carrier and some other warships from the waters off Syria as the first step in drawing down forces in Syria.

Russian General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov said on Saturday that the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and accompanying ships are to be the first to leave.

He was quoted as saying by the state news agency Tass that "in accordance with the decision by the supreme commander-in-chief (President) Vladimir Putin, the Defense Ministry is starting to downsize the grouping of armed forces in Syria."

Moscow has been a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and forces in the Mideast country's devastating civil war.