Russia’s military has been conducting drills in the Mediterranean, the Foreign Minister clarified.
Russian naval vessels remained at the Tartus base despite a surprise jihadist offensive against the Syrian government, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
He attributed media reports to the contrary to misinterpretations of recent naval exercises in the Mediterranean.
“Military exercises are underway in the Mediterranean Sea. Satellite imagery may have been misinterpreted,” Lavrov explained, following a meeting with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts in Qatar on Sunday.
The foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran, and Russia convened in Doha on Saturday to discuss the rapid rebel advance in Syria.
Since 2015, Moscow has been militarily involved in the Syrian conflict, significantly aiding in the defeat of numerous terrorist groups, including al-Nusra and the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). Russia maintains substantial military presence in Syria, with bases in Hmeimim and Tartus.
The naval exercises, reported by the Russian Defense Ministry, took place from December 1st to 3rd and involved the Russian Navy and Aerospace Forces.
Last week, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Nusra affiliate, and its allies launched a surprise attack against Syrian government forces, quickly seizing territory around Aleppo and pushing into Hama and Homs, heading towards Damascus. Syrian forces, supported by Russian air power, are redeploying to counter the advance.
The Associated Press reported that militants reached the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday, marking the first such incursion since 2015.
President Bashar Assad vowed to “eliminate terrorists” and punish their “sponsors and supporters,” following reports in the media that the militants received training from Ukrainian military intelligence.