Did Putin win in Syria? Or is he cutting his losses?

​I agree with Sergey that President Vladimir Putin’s sudden announcement last week that he was withdrawing—at least partially—from Syria was a surprise in a limited sense but was logical for Putin more broadly. Unlike Sergey, though, I’d argue that while Putin has successfully escaped from the “quagmire” in Syria, it’s not because he achieved his goals; rather, he’s cutting his losses and getting out while he still can