Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow on the anniversary of the uprising in Syria. Assad and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will meet in the Kremlin for the first time since 2021.

Assad landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on the evening of March 14, Channel 24 writes . Assad was met by Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov.

Assad arrives at the Kremlin to meet with Putin

Vladimir Putin's talks with the head of the Syrian state are to be held in the Kremlin on March 15.

“Topical issues of the further development of Russian-Syrian cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as the prospects for a comprehensive settlement of the situation in and around Syria, will be discussed,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The meeting is scheduled for March 15 on purpose, because on this date in 2011 the uprising in Syria began. Before that, Putin and Assad met in September 2021 in Moscow.

This visit of the Syrian president is the first since the beginning of a full-scale war in Ukraine and after major earthquakes in Syria.

During the laying of flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier, Assad had an embarrassment almost like with the former Ukrainian president-fugitive Viktor Yanukovych. The Syrian dictator did not understand what to do with the wreath and for some reason tried to snatch it from the guard of honor.

Assad got into embarrassment with a wreath in Moscow: video

Russia is the main ally of the Assad regime, providing it with various support, including to counter opponents from the UN.

The Kremlin has helped Assad reclaim much of the opposition-controlled territory. For this, aerial bombardments of enemy forces and conventional areas not controlled by the Assad regime were used.

During the 12 years of conflict in Syria, about 500,000 people have died.

Xi Jinping should fly to Moscow

• According to CNN and Reuters, the Russian President is preparing for the upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow.
• The Kremlin leader said that during his visit to the Russian capital he plans to meet with his colleague and the Chinese delegation “via the Moscow metro line.”
• After that, Xi Jinping allegedly plans to have a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and possibly visit some European countries.