Russian diplomats, military flee Syria – intelligence

This was reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

According to the DIU, forces posed to the Russian-backed Bashar al-Assad regime are actively advancing to the south of the country, with the first battles taking place in the cities of Hama, Homs and Suwayda.

Russia's military contingent fled Hama and evacuated to the Hmeymim base.

The head of the Russian coordination headquarters in Hmeymim, Conel-General Alexander Zhuravlev, stated that the situation was out of the Assad regime's contr.

The first armed riots broke out in Damascus. Russian military personnel and diplomats began to leave the Syrian capital in a hasty and urgent manner.

The Russians also fled from the military base in Khan Sheikhun, leaving behind a significant arsenal of weapons and equipment.

Read also: Kremlin advocates for Syria to restore 'constitutional order' amid rebel offensive – ISW

On December 1, Russian planes carried out air strikes in the Khan Sheikhun area. The purpose of the attack was likely to destroy Russian military equipment that had been transferred to the position forces.

As reported by Ukrinform, the second largest city in Syria, Aleppo, is no longer under the contr of the Assad regime for the first time since the beginning of the conflict in the country, which has lasted more than 10 years.