Russia Asks Turkey for Help with Troop Withdrawal from Syria
Russia has asked Turkey to help withdraw its troops from Syria after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. This was reported by CNN Turk on December 9.
According to the report, Russia wants to relocate its forces to areas controlled by Turkey in Syria before transporting them back to Russia by air. However, Moscow plans to keep control over key military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency also reported that Russia has started withdrawing troops from Syria after Assad’s regime collapsed on December 8. Russian-controlled facilities like the Tartus Naval Base and Khmeimim Airbase are important for Russia’s influence in the region.
Assad and his family were granted asylum by Russian authorities when they arrived in Russia on December 8.
New Developments in Ukraine and Russia
A court in occupied Crimea sentenced a local resident to 15 years in prison for treason. He was accused of sharing information about Russian military movements with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to call U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss Ukraine’s invitation to NATO. This came after meeting German politician Friedrich Merz, who suggested a united vision be presented to the U.S. leadership.
The situation in Syria continues to evolve with Syrian opposition fighters taking control of the Latakia province, where Russian military facilities are based.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched two cruise missiles and 37 drones overnight on December 9. The attack took place near occupied Crimea.
Russia has spent at least $200 billion on its war with Ukraine since 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in California.
Additional Developments
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal visited Kyiv to meet with President Zelensky. Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina was posthumously honored with a literary award at the International Publishers Congress in Mexico.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action towards negotiating a truce, saying “This is his time to act.”