Moscow says Syria's armed forces have recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from Islamic State (IS) militants.
Russian news agencies report that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on March 2 that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, together with the help of Russian forces, had regained control over what is left of the archaeological finds.
IS militants took control of the ancient city of Palmyra in May 2015 and almost immediately began destroying ancient monuments there.
In late March 2016, with the support of Russian air strikes, Syrian government forces regained control over the area.
But IS militants in December 2016 seized control of Palmyra again.
Many of the ancient monuments, statues, and buildings at Palmyra are now thought to have been destroyed by IS militants.
