The Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday called on all parties involved in the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to refrain from using force.
Al-Assad had abandoned his post and left Syria, the ministry said, without providing any information on the location of his former ally. Russia was in contact with groups in Syria, it said.
Moscow has provided military support to al-Assad’s regime since 2015.
The ministry said Assad had ordered a peaceful transfer of power. “Russia did not participate in these negotiations. At the same time, we call on all stakeholders to refrain from the use of force and to resolve all issues related to state leadership through political means,” the report said.
Moscow could no longer support Syria under the current circumstances, said Konstantin Kosachev, a former diplomat and deputy head of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament.
Moscow would provide help if the Syrian people asked for it, Kosachev said. He added that the war was not over as there were many opposing groups, including terrorist organizations. Syria’s territorial integrity must be maintained, he said.
Russia has an air base in Syria and a naval base in Tartus, which provides access to the Mediterranean Sea. The ministry said Russian military bases were not threatened but were on a state of heightened alert.
Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament’s defense committee, said attention should now be paid to the forces stationed in Syria, based on experience of previous withdrawals.
