Intel: What was Russia’s defense minister doing in Syria? - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Maxim A. Suchkov

Maxim A. Suchkov

Mar 23, 2020

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 and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L-R front) shake hands during a meeting, Damascus, March 23, 2020. — 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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