Over the past several days more than 20 aircraft and 1,000 personnel have been withdrawn from Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the alumni of military academies at a reception on Thursday.

"This withdrawal is continuing now. Only over the past several days, 13 planes, 14 helicopters and 1,140 personnel have been pulled out," Putin said, stressing that all these people had combat experience.

The Russian leader noted that the pullout of Russian forces from Syria began as he arrived at the Russian base in Hmeimim in December 2017.

"You and your fellow servicemen together with them will fully use this experience of the personnel’s combat training here in Russia to perform the most difficult and outstanding tasks during snap checks, strategic and tactical exercises, and learn how to use the unique new generation equipment, which the forces start receiving," Putin said.