Kremlin Updates on Ongoing Discussions About Russian Military Installations in Syria

Moscow, Dec 16 (NationPress) Russia is actively engaged in negotiations with the Syrian authorities concerning the status of its military installations within the nation, as confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday.

The spokesperson indicated that no final decisions have been reached on this matter as of yet.

"We are maintaining communication with the representatives of the forces that currently hold power in the country. All resolutions will come through dialogue," he remarked during a briefing focused on the future of Russia's bases in Syria.

At present, Russia operates two military bases in Syria: a naval base located in the port city of Tartus, and an air base situated near Jableh.

On Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Moscow has conducted an evacuation of some of its diplomats from the Syrian capital Damascus, although its embassy remains operational.

The diplomats were flown back to Moscow via a flight organized by the Russian Aerospace Forces departing from the Khmeimim Air Base in Syria, as stated by the ministry.

This flight also included diplomats from Belarus and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, it was reported.

Last week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov indicated that Moscow is hopeful of retaining its military bases in Syria, as they are crucial in the fight against terrorism.

"There seems to be a consensus that the battle against terrorism and the Islamic State is ongoing and necessitates collective efforts. In this context, our presence has played a significant role in combating international terrorism," stated Bogdanov, according to the state-run RIA news agency.

The Russian diplomat also mentioned that Moscow has established lines of communication with the political committee of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group to discuss matters regarding the security of the Russian diplomatic mission and its citizens in the country.