.jpg "Truyền hình nhà nước Syria phát tuyên bố chính quyền của Tổng thống Assad sụp đổ")
.jpg "Đại sứ quán Việt Nam sẵn sàng hỗ trợ bảo hộ công dân tại Syria trong trường hợp khẩn cấp")
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The Kremlin said it was too early to determine the future of Russia's military bases in Khmeimim and Tartus in Syria.
According to RT (Russia), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that discussions about these bases will depend on Syria's new leaders.
“We are currently witnessing a period of transition and extreme instability,” Peskov told reporters on December 9. He noted that recent developments in Syria have taken the world, including Russia, by surprise. “It will take time before we can engage in serious dialogue with those in power,” he added.
But Mr Peskov said that Russian forces in Syria were taking all necessary measures to ensure the security of these military bases. He added that the safety of Russian military bases in Syria was a very important issue.
“Of course, our military is taking all necessary defensive measures,” Mr. Peskov said when asked about the Kremlin's level of concern about the security of Russian bases there.
The Kremlin spokesman also said that Moscow is in dialogue with Türkiye, including about the situation in Syria.
“Syria is going through a very difficult period of instability and it is important to maintain dialogue with all countries in the region. We are determined to do this and we will continue to consult and analyze,” he stressed.
The Kremlin spokesman admitted that the “Astana format” for talks between Syria, its allies, neighbors and adversaries had been lost along with the goals of peace and sovereignty. However, as a mechanism for exchanging opinions and political consultations between countries, the format remains relevant.
“In whatever form, these consultations will take place,” he said.
Russian military forces are present at the Khmeimim Air Base and a logistics support center in Tartus, located in western Syria along the Mediterranean coast. In 2017, Moscow and Damascus agreed to deploy Russian troops at these bases for 49 years.
According to sources, the Syrian armed opposition has approached two important Russian military bases. A local source told TASS news agency that the base is not currently under threat.
“Opposition forces have neither attacked nor planned to violate the territory of Russian military facilities, which are operating normally,” the source said.
Earlier, on December 8, a Kremlin source told TASS news agency that militant groups that overthrew the government of former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria had ensured the safety of Russian military facilities and diplomatic missions in the country.
Various opposition factions, including jihadists Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and US-backed Free Syrian Army fighters, took control of the capital Damascus over the weekend, as the Syrian army retreated and President Assad sought asylum in Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also reported that President Assad had decided to step down and leave Syria after negotiations with several factions in the Syrian conflict, giving instructions on a peaceful transfer of power. Russia will not participate in the negotiations.
“There is no meeting scheduled for President Assad. We have no reason to announce his whereabouts,” Peskov said in response to a reporter’s question about the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Assad in Moscow.
