MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is certain that the timing of Russia’s anti-terrorist operation in Syria was right. As he addressed a board meeting of the federal security service FSB on Friday, Putin said the service had quashed the operation of groups that had been prepared to deal a blow on Russia.
"It is essential to reliably protect Russian territory from penetrations by militants from the Middle East and other regions and to promptly expose and neutralize those involved in terrorist activities abroad," Putin said.
"Russia in general and its armed forces in particular began the military operation in Syria on time," Putin said. He addressed the FSB personnel in these words: "Your efforts locally, across Russia are the best confirmation of this. Your efforts have put an end to the activity of those underground groups that had been prepared to deal a strike against our country."
"We all can see that there are certain successes along these lines from the standpoint of preventive work," Putin said. He thanked those who achieved the successes. "I hope that you will keep working in the same fashion further on to upset actions by those who are ready to attack and those who are involved in recruiting our citizens into terrorist organizations and those who propagate extremist ideologies."
Putin says fight against IS, other terrorist groups in Syria to continue
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Friday that military operation in Syria against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups will continue after the ceasefire.
Since midnight on Saturday Damascus time combat actions of Syrian forces, Russia and the US-led coalition will not be carried out against all armed units that declare their readiness to cease fire, Putin told the FSB board.
However, Putin stressed that "this is not referred to ISIL, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations recognized so by the UN Security Council." "The decisive fight against them will certainly continue."
Putin said he hopes that US partners judge from what is said in the Russian-US joint statement and "no one will forget that besides ISIL there are other terrorist organizations designated by the UNSC."
Russian and US presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama issued a joint statement on Monday to declare ceasefire in Syria from midnight Damascus time on February 27. Both sides said they would use their influence on the political forces in the country to achieve truce.
Putin thanks Federal Security Service for efforts to ensure Russia’s security
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday thanked Russia’s Federal Security Service for its efforts to ensure the country’s security.
"I would like to say thanks to you for your professional activities to ensure Russia’s security and sustainable development, including those of our colleagues who are employed by military intelligence, I mean support to our pilots who are on a counter-terrorist mission in Syria and anti-terrorist units working inside the country," Putin said at a FSB board meeting.
"I am confident that all tasks in the sphere of protection of Russia’s national interests will be solved at the highest professional level," he said.
"In 2015, the Federal Security Service carried out its activities in strict compliance with Russian laws and instructions from the president in conditions of growing political, economic, military and information pressure on our country," FSB chief, Alexander Bortnikov, said.
Today’s FSB board meeting summed out the results of the service’s work in 2015 and outlined the goals and tasks for 2016.