Sharjah 24 – AFP: Russia's foreign ministry confirmed on Sunday that it had evacuated a portion of its diplomatic personnel from Syria, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
A special Russian Air Force flight on December 15 transported part of the diplomatic staff from Damascus via Hmeimim airbase to an airport near Moscow. The flight also carried personnel from Belarus, North Korea, and Abkhazia, a Russian-backed separatist region of Georgia.
Despite the evacuation, the Russian embassy in Damascus remains operational.
Assad's downfall came after an 11-day offensive led by the opposition coalition Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), forcing the Syrian president to flee to Russia. This marks a significant setback for Moscow, which, along with Iran, had been a major ally of Assad since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2015.
The future of Russia's military bases in Syria, including the Tartus naval base and Hmeimim airfield, remains uncertain. Moscow is in discussions with the new Syrian authorities about the bases' future.
For an optimal experience, please
