He delivered an annual state of the nation address on Thursday to the Russian Parliament, the Federal Assembly.
“They have been growing in strength, receiving money and weapons, if they become victorious out there, they will then surely appear in our country to kill, torture people, to spread terror and hatred. We must meet them afar and destroy them. That’s why the Russian Space Forces have been authorized to launch a military campaign in Syria,” he stressed.
Putin noted that Russian soldiers in the first place are fighting in Syria for the security of Russian citizens.