Russia completed its mission in Syria some time ago — Kremlin
MOSCOW, December 11. /TASS/. Russia assisted Syria in countering terrorists and stabilizing the situation after 2015, but subsequent actions were up to the country’s government, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“A while ago, Russia helped the Syrian Arab Republic in combating terrorists and ensuring stability when the situation posed a threat to the entire region. We put in significant effort toward that goal. Russia completed its mission at that point,” he said.
“Afterward, it was the [Bashar] Assad government that took charge in its own country, striving to ensure development, but unfortunately, the situation reached the point it did,” Peskov said, adding that “now, we need to proceed based on the realities on the ground.”
Asked how a potential change of government in Syria would affect Moscow’s geopolitical influence in the Middle East, the presidential spokesman emphasized that “Russia maintains dialogue with all countries in the region.” “We are committed to continuing in this manner,” Peskov said.
In late November, armed opposition forces launched a large-scale offensive on the Syrian army’s positions and entered Damascus on December 8, while government troops withdrew from the capital. A Kremlin source told TASS on Sunday that Assad and his family members had arrived in Moscow. Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds.
Israel openly acknowledges its role in recent events in Syria — diplomat
MOSCOW, December 11. /TASS/. The Israeli leadership does not conceal its involvement in the recent events in Syria and explicitly acknowledges it, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing.
“The Israeli leadership speaks openly about its role in these events. Of course, I repeat, there are additional factors, but this is a directly and publicly stated position of the Israeli leadership regarding its involvement in the events in Syria. They don’t even attempt to hide it,” the diplomat said.
According to Zakharova, the United States has also exacerbated the situation in Syria, deliberately imposing sanctions against the country and its people for many years.
“And now [the US] claims that the events are somehow linked to people’s discontent with the social and economic situation. It was the United States who largely created this social and economic situation in the first place,” the spokeswoman emphasized.
Zakharova pointed out that, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington did not consider it humane to ease the anti-Syrian sanctions, even at a time when all other normal countries helped each other and should do so in such situations.
“Even at that moment, the United States was focused on how to toughen its stance toward Syria and Syrians, precisely in order to influence the situation,” the diplomat said.
In late November, opposition militias launched a large-scale offensive on Syrian army positions. On December 8, they entered Damascus, and the government forces withdrew from the city. The Prime Minister of Syria expressed his readiness to carry out a peaceful transition of power.
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