Russia provided political asylum to Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad on Vladimir Putin's personal order, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The events in Syria surprised whole the world, and Russia is no exception, he said.
"We are in dialogue with other regional states, including on Syrian affairs. Indeed, it is going to be a very difficult period in Syria now, due to instability, and, of course, it is very important to maintain a dialogue with all regional countries here. We are determined to do this, we will consult and analyze," Peskov added.
The international situation is very turbulent, and this requires special attention, including from the Russian authorities, the spokesman added.
It is premature to talk about keeping Russian military presence in Syria, this will be a subject for discussion with the authorities, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted, adding that the government in Syria is undergoing a period of transformation and is still unstable.
Russian military in Syria is doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of military bases, the official said, adding that the security of these bases is a very important issue.
The Russian authorities are doing everything necessary to get in touch in Syria with those who can ensure the security of the military bases, he added.
Syrian armed opposition groups captured the national capital of Damascus on Sunday. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said that he and 18 other ministers had decided to remain in Damascus. Al-Jalali also said he was in contact with the leaders of militant groups that had entered the city. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Bashar al-Assad had stepped down as president and left Syria after negotiations with some participants of the Syrian conflict.