It was a preplanned and strategic maneuver

Russia is not "withdrawing" from Syria in the manner that some might immediately think, it's still maintaining its facilities in Latakia and Tartous and has helped the Syrian Arab Army liberate the majority of the country's inhabited areas since the anti-terrorist intervention began.

President Putin is sending a strong message to the rest of the world in advance of the Syrian talks' resumption that Russia is doubling down on a diplomatic solution to the conflict and is in no way turning its back on Syria.

Any return to large-scale hostilities will see a Russian response, hence why forces will still be maintained in Latakia to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.

If needed, and should the situation dramatically change, all the units that are being removed from the battlespace can assuredly be returned.

This is a grand military-diplomatic move that Russia would not have undertaken without professionally assessing the whole situation and engaging behind the scenes with all relevant global powers, whether directly (like with the US) or indirectly via back channels (possibly with Iran talking to Turkey on Russia's behalf).

It's way too premature for anyone to allege a "partitioning" of Syria or some kind of selfish deal between Russia and the US at Syria's expense. I'm sure that there were all kinds of discussions, there's no question about it, but that doesn't mean a "division" into "spheres of influence".

What we see on Russia's side is just the most visible and news-making result of these secret negotiations; it's less obvious what Iran, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and the US are doing for their part, but best believe that this was not a unilateral action undertaken from Russian or Syrian weakness and was obviously coordinated with their allies.

Quite the opposite, it was a preplanned and strategic maneuver, one which while surprising, was obviously thought out in advance.
These upcoming talks will be key, and just as it has been before, it will remain first and foremost up to Syrians to decide the future internal administration of their country, be it the retention of its unitary nature (which I personally support) or Identity Federalism (which I don't support).

The situation will become clearer throughout the week and beyond, but let's never forget that the ones jumping the gun and alleging anti-Russian and anti-Syrian theories are the ones who had these "wishful" thoughts all along and were just looking for a seemingly convenient moment to express them.

God bless Russia, God bless Syria, and God bless their and their allies' talented negotiators at these upcoming talks.
I believe in Russia and Syria and have full faith in their tried and tested leaderships...do you?