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Intel: What was Russia’s defense minister doing in Syria?

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu just paid a visit to Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
DAMASCUS, SYRIA - MARCH 23, 2020: Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (L-R front) shake hands during a meeting. Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defence Ministry Press Office/TASS (Photo by Vadim Savitsky\TASS via Getty Images)

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid a visit to Damascus on March 23 for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The official readout of the meeting states that the Russian military leader traveled to Syria “on President Putin’s instructions.”

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