The Kremlin is surprised by the events in Syria: what will happen to the Russian bases in Khmeimim and Tartus

Russia is surprised by the events in Syria as well as the whole world, Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, calling premature talk about the preservation of Russian military bases in Khmeimim and Tartus.

"What happened in Syria as a whole probably surprised the whole world. We are no exception in this case," the Kremlin spokesman told reporters.

"It is premature to talk [about the future of Russian bases], in any case, this is all a subject for discussion with those who will be in power in Syria. Now we are seeing a period of transformation, extreme instability, so, of course, it will take time and then it will take a serious conversation with those who will be invested with power," Peskov answered the relevant question.

The Kremlin spokesman noted that the security of the Russian military and bases in Syria is "a very important issue."

According to him, there is no meeting with the former president of the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR) Bashar al-Assad, who has found refuge in the Russian Federation, in the official schedule of the head of state.

As EADaily reported, this morning, on December 9, the flag of the Syrian opposition was raised over the Syrian Embassy in Moscow. The flag of the SAR was removed the day before, on December 8, after the opposition came to power in the country.

Earlier, RIA Novosti, citing a source in the Kremlin, reported that in Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family members, based on "humanitarian considerations."

According to the source, the forces that overthrew Assad guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria.