Russia: no plan for massive evacuation from Syria

 
No Author Published: January 23, 2013    Comment on this article Leave a comment

photo - A Russian-Syrian family leave passport control zone just after their arrival from Beirut in Moscow Domodedovo airport , Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The Kremlin's evacuation of Russians from Syria on Tuesday marks a turning point in its view of the civil war, representing increasing doubts about Bashar Assad's hold on power and a sober understanding that it has to start rescue efforts before it becomes too late. The operation has been relatively small-scale - involving fewer than 100 people, mostly women and children - but it marks the beginning of what could soon turn into a risky and challenging operation. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
A Russian-Syrian family leave passport control zone just after their arrival from Beirut in Moscow Domodedovo airport , Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. The Kremlin's evacuation of Russians from Syria on Tuesday marks a turning point in its view of the civil war, representing increasing doubts about Bashar Assad's hold on power and a sober understanding that it has to start rescue efforts before it becomes too late. The operation has been relatively small-scale - involving fewer than 100 people, mostly women and children - but it marks the beginning of what could soon turn into a risky and challenging operation. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

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"There are no other plans yet, or rather we have plans for any country in case of worsening of the situation there, but there is no talk yet about implementing them," he said.

Russia recently started to distance itself from Assad, and a top diplomat acknowledged last month that the rebels might win the civil war.

Speaking about the two planes that arrived Wednesday, Lavrov said that Russia used them to deliver humanitarian supplies to Syria and used the occasion to fly back some Russians who wanted to leave.

"We have notified them that we can give them a ride home if they want," he said.

Lavrov said that Russian military maneuvers, which will be conducted later this month by a squadron of Russian navy ships off Syria's coast, are part of a regular combat training, and their presence in the Mediterranean, "helps to stabilize the situation." The squadron includes four landing vessels capable of carrying hundreds of marines each.

Rushana Vidova, who left the country with her Syrian husband Ali, said upon arrival at Moscow's Domodedovo airport she is grateful to "Russia and all who helped us."

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the overnight evacuation of Russian citizens from Syria "speaks to the continued deterioration of the security situation, and the violence that Assad is leading against his own people."

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Associated Press writers Oleg Yuriev in Moscow and Bradley Klapper in Washington contributed to this report.

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