Days after President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was scaling back its military deployment, Russia has sent more than a dozen jets to war-torn Syria.

Last week, Putin declared that Russia would begin withdrawing its troops following a ceasefire agreement between President Bashar Assad's government and opposition fighters. However, 12 Su-25s are reported to have arrived at Russia's base in the coastal city of Latakia on Monday. The latest deployment signals Russia's intention to remain deeply involved in the bloody conflict.

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Experts speculated that the fighter planes have been sent to cover for the loss of Russia's rusting aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which was recalled on Friday.

According to Syrian pro-government website al-Masdar, the warplanes will be used in an aerial campaign on rebel-held territory around the city of Aleppo. On Wednesday morning, there were reports that Russia and Syria have performed airstrikes in Aleppo's western and southern countrysides.

Russian warplanes conducted a 48-hour airstrike campaign on Aleppo, Syria's second city, carrying out over 30 airstrikes. This was twice the number they launched the whole of last week in this area.

Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Isil) and Islamist group Jaish Fateh al-Sham are not part of the Russia-negotiated fragile ceasefire that is currently in place. 

The Syrian government said that it is only striking islamist rebels-held territory. However, the opposition said that it is not present in some of the areas being targeted by the airstrike.

This is not the first time that Russia has wrong-footed its opponents by announcing withdrawals that never took place. In March last year, Putin announced a drawdown of his troops after declaring that they had accomplished their mission in Syria.

In the months that followed, however, Russia increased airstrikes on the city of Aleppo in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

TagsRussia, Syria, Aleppo