Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law ratifying the agreement between Russia and Syria on accommodating the air group of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This was announced by the press-service of Kremlin. http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/53089
“The President of the Russian Federation signed the Law on Ratification of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Syrian Arab Republic on the accommodating the air group of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic,” – reads the message.
The law was approved by the State Duma on October 6, 2016 and by the Federation Council on October 12, 2016.
The agreement was signed on August 26, 2015 in Damascus, and only a year later Putin introduced it for consideration by the Duma. The agreement stipulates that Russian aviation group shall be located on the territory of Syria on the request of the Syria party and shall be accommodated on Khmeimim Air Base in the Latakia Governorate with no time limit and on a free-of-charge basis.
According to the document the use of Russian air force shall be performed in accordance with the decision of its commander on agreement with representatives of Syrian authorities.
The document also reads that the military stuff of the Russian air group shall freely cross the border without customs and border control.