Putin asks Russian Duma to ratify Syria air base deal

‘Russia’s President has submitted an agreement reached with the Syrian Republic to the State Duma for approval that would authorize the placement of a Russian Air Force group in Syria for an unspecified period of time.
Vladimir Putin has also tasked Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov with presenting the agreement to both parliamentary chambers as his appointed representative.
The agreement, which was signed in Damask, Syria on August 26 of last year, specifies that the Russian air force group would be deployed at the Hmeimim airfield in Latakia province to maintain peace and stability in the region. The document emphasizes that the placement is of a strictly defensive character and not targeted against any other state.’
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