Syrians gather around a Russian soldier as opposition fighters and their families prepare to be evacuated from the Waer neighbourhood, the last opposition-held district in the central city of Homs, on May 21, 2017. (AFP Photo)

MOSCOW, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian armed forces and defense industry have benefited from the anti-terrorist operations in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

"The experience of deploying our troops and newest weapons in combat conditions is absolutely priceless," Putin said during his annual "direct line" questions and answers session.

He said the Russian armed forces have acquired a "different quality" and some recently created units operated very effectively.

The use of the newest weapons allowed Russia to understand how they performed in combat conditions and representatives of the defense industry went to Syria to see it with their own eyes to make necessary adjustments, Putin said.

Russia started to participate in the anti-terrorist operations in Syria in September 2015. It has now withdrawn the majority of its troops from the war-torn country.

The task of the Russian armed forces for the near future is to raise the combat capability of the Syrian troops and provide them with occasional support in fighting terrorists, Putin said.