russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that an air force plane took off from the Hmeimim base in Syria carrying some diplomats from Russia, Belarus and North Korea.

The Russian news agency also cited the Belarusian Foreign Ministry as saying that "all Belarusian diplomats and part of its diplomatic staff in the Syrian capital have been evacuated by air, as announced by Moscow."

The Russian Foreign Ministry's Crisis Management Department said in a statement published on Telegram that "on December 15, part of the Russian representation (diplomatic) staff in Damascus was withdrawn on a special flight of the Russian Air Force that departed from the Hmeimim air base located on the Syrian coast to Chkalovsky Airport."

A public relations official in the Syrian Military Operations Department said that the Russian withdrawal had actually taken place, and that some Russian forces had left for Libya. He also continued that the Russian forces would withdraw from all places to be stationed in Hmeimim only.

The official pointed out that the Russian request is clear and indicates that they be stationed in the Hmeimim base, but the government's response has said that negotiations will decide.

It is noteworthy that a senior officer in the Syrian army who is in contact with the Russian army reported that Russia had transferred some equipment and senior officers from the Syrian army to Moscow.