Vladimir Putin arrived in Damascus on a surprise visit to meet Bashar al-Assad. 

They met in a Russian military base in the capital, discussed the military situation in the country.
Moscow has been a key backer of Assad for years, formally entering Syria’s civil war on his side in 2015. That intervention was credited with turning the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favour, allowing his military forces to recapture most of Syria.
“During his talks with Assad, Putin noted that it is now possible to state with conviction that a huge distance has been covered on the path to restoring Syrian statehood and the territorial integrity of the country”, - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The visit is Putin’s second to Syria since Russia military forces joined the civil war.