Russian forces flee Syria’s Damascus, Ukrainian intel says

The press service of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported the information.

According to intelligence reports, Russian troops have vacated the city of Hama and relocated to the Khmeimim air base. Alexander Zhuravlev, the chief of staff at the base, stated that the situation had escalated beyond the control of Bashar al-Assad's government.

Armed riots also erupted in Damascus, prompting Russian military personnel and diplomats to urgently begin evacuating the Syrian capital.

Additionally, reports indicate that Russian forces fled from the military base in the city of Khan Sheikhun, abandoning a significant stockpile of weapons and equipment.

Ukrainian intelligence officers added that on December 1, Russian warplanes conducted air strikes in the Khan Sheikhun area. The purpose of the attack was likely to destroy Russian military equipment that had been taken over by opposition forces.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine learned that Vadim Baikulov, the commander of a Russian special forces unit in Syria, was recalled to Moscow for explanations. His personnel suffered casualties and military equipment in Aleppo was seized by rebels.

Current developments in Syria

A large-scale military operation of opposition forces against government forces continues in Syria. The Syrian opposition launched an active offensive on the morning of November 27 and after two days of clashes took control of 56 settlements in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib and approached the outskirts of Aleppo.

On Saturday, November 30, Russian aviation for the first time since 2016 carried out airstrikes on the city of Aleppo, the center of which has been overrun by Syrian rebels. At the same time, Russia promised Syria additional military assistance.

On November 30, Reuters, citing military sources, reported that Syrian rebels had captured the city of Maraat al-Numan in Idlib province, thus taking control of the entire province.

Oleksandr Sushko, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation, believes that Russia will increase its military presence in Syria with the forces already in the region, without deploying troops from the front of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Meanwhile, the Russian authorities have decided to dismiss the commander of the group of troops in Syria, Sergei Kisel, amid losses and growing panic in the Russian military.