Contents tagged with Assad
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Syria demands extradition of Assad as preconditions for Russian military base access
New Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has demanded that the Kremlin extradite former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who sought asylum in Russia. According to Al Arabiya, Sharaa, who assumed power after Assad's regime was toppled in December 2024, is insisting that the former leader be brought before Syrian justice. Assad fled to Russia amidst a swift offensive by rebel forces and remains under Moscow’s protection.
Earlier, on March 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Al- …
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Syrian Army blocks Russian convoy transporting air defense missiles to Tartus naval base
A convoy of approximately 35 Russian military trucks, heavily laden with air defense missiles and other weaponry, was stopped in Syria by the Syrian army. The convoy was en route to the port of Tartus, carrying the military equipment, including the transport-launch containers with S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missiles, back to Russia. The convoy was blocked and forced to return to the Khmeimim base in the Latakia countryside, as reported by journalist Mete Sohtaoglu.
In an analysis by Defence …
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Russia and new Syrian government engage in talks to restore relations
Syria's state agency Sana reports that the Syrian government announced discussions with a Russian delegation about "restoring relations" between the two nations.
The Russian side reaffirmed its support for the ongoing positive changes happening in Syria. Talks highlighted Russia's role in rekindling relations with the Syrian people through specific measures like compensation, reconstruction, and restoration.
The new administration also emphasized that restoring relations should take past …
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Putin dismisses Assad's overthrow as Russia’s defeat
Russian president Vladimir Putin does not consider the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad a defeat for Russia, citing internal changes among groups that fought against Syrian government forces. According to Putin, Russia has achieved its goal in Syria by preventing the creation of a "terrorist enclave" there.
"You mentioned Syria. You want to portray everything happening in Syria as some sort of defeat for Russia. I assure you, it is not. And I'll tell you why: we went to Syria 10 years ago to …
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Assad seeks sanctuary in Russia: a new addition to Moscow's 'collection' of exiled leaders
Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia on "humanitarian grounds." While there are no official photos yet of Assad settling into his new surroundings, speculation is rife about what he might owe Vladimir Putin for this hospitality and who his new neighbors might be, Digi 24 reports.
Columnist Mark Galeotti suggests that the discredited Syrian ruler will make his home in Barvikha, an upscale enclave for Russia's affluent near Moscow. Historically, this area housed …
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Russian lawmaker proposes relocating Assad family to Mariupol to aid Donbas recovery
In an interview with Russian outlet Gazeta.ru, Dmitry Kuznetsov, a member of Russia's State Duma and the International Affairs Committee, has proposed that Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian president who fled to Russia following rebel capture of Syria's capital Damascus, could be relocated to occupied Mariupol
Kuznetsov argued that the former Syrian leader, along with his family, should settle in Mariupol, where they could "take it under their wing." For his "contribution to the restoration …
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Kremlin: opposition forces promise security for Russian bases in Syria following government overthrow
Rebel forces, who seized power in Syria, have pledged to ensure the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in the country, as reported by Russia's state news agency TASS, citing an anonymous Kremlin source.
"Russian officials are in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have promised to guarantee the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria," said the agency's source.
Another TASS source in Syria disclosed …
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Russia seeks Turkish assistance for troop withdrawal as Assad regime collapses in Syria
Russia has reached out to Turkey for support in ensuring the safe withdrawal of its troops from Syria following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Reports indicate that Russian forces plan to leave Syria, retaining only two strategic locations: the naval base in Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase. Troops are expected to be transported to areas controlled by Turkish forces and flown back to Russia from there.
The armed opposition has captured the capital, Damascus, leading President Bashar …
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Russian forces encircled in Syria: negotiations underway for evacuation
Several groups of Russian military personnel are reportedly encircled in Syria, according to information from several channels and media outlets. Russia is allegedly negotiating for corridors to evacuate the soldiers.
"What our grouping in Syria looks like today. It is a multitude of various units with their own weaponry, divided into several groupings—the 'Mountain,' 'Palmyra,' 'Plains,' etc., in addition to the well-known Khmeimim and Tartus bases," reads the post of the Russian war channel …
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Kyiv: Ukraine open to restoring ties with Syria after Assad's fall
Ukraine is open to the possibility of restoring relations with Syria after the fall of the authoritarian regime of Bashar al-Assad, reaffirming its support for the Syrian populace, said Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, following developments in Syria where rebels have seized control of Damascus, leading Assad to announce a peaceful transfer of power before fleeing the country.
According to Minister Sybiha, the current priority is to stabilize the region, protect the populace from …