A first group of Russian military planes on Tuesday left Moscow's base in Syria heading for home after President Vladimir Putin's shock order to withdraw most of his forces from the war-torn country, the defence ministry said. 

"The first group of Russian planes has flown out of the Hmeimim air base for their permanent bases on the territory of the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a statement, adding that they included Su-34 bombers and a Tu-154 transport plane.