Russia's RIA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying that media reports on Russian military units withdrawing from the Afrin region had been denied, though he did specify who had denied them.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a press conference following a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.
During the press conference, Lavrov commented on the situation in Syrian Afrin, denying that Russia had withdrawn troops from the city. Turkish media reported on Friday that Russian servicemen were leaving the Syrian city of Afrin where the Turkish armed forces were planning to begin a military operation.
According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, 170 Russian servicemen will begin relocation so an area 10 miles south of Afrin this afternoon. The agency added that some Russian military units had already reached towns of Nubl and Zahraa in the district of Azaz bordering the district of Afrin.
Turkey has been threatening to launch an operation in Afrin since last week, after the US announced its decision to start training a border protection force composed of the the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which has been described by Ankara as a "terrorist army." On January 19, the operation de facto started.
About 10,000 militants belonging to PYD and YPG are reportedly located in the area, where Ankara is planing to launch the operation.
