Sergey Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke about the success of the Russian operation in Syria. His statement is quoted in an interview with the Russian Thought magazine, published on the website of the Foreign Ministry.
“By now, we can state with good reason that the contribution [of the Russian military] has become decisive in the victory over terrorism and ensuring the security of Syria … The threat of a violent change of power in the republic has been averted, which would have led not only to continued bloodshed in this country, but and further chaos of the entire region, ”the minister said.
He added that Moscow continues to work to stabilize the situation “on the ground”, advance the process of political settlement and provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrians. According to the diplomat, thanks to these efforts, it has already been possible to prevent the spread of terrorism in the region.
Lavrov stressed that the basis of Russian approaches to the Syrian settlement is international law, respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria.
Russia has been conducting a military operation in Syria since September 2015. The campaign aimed to support the government army and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the fight against terrorists, including the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia).
