Russia is willing to help with the reconstruction of Syria as it continues to seek a deal with the country’s new leadership to retain two vital military bases, according to a senior Middle East policy adviser to the Russian government.

Russia deployed troops to Syria in 2015 to support Assad regime's brutal crackdown against anti-government forces.

The first Russian official delegation to visit Syria since the toppling of long-term Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad has arrived in Damascus, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday. The visit comes with Moscow keen to secure the fate of two military bases there and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that Moscow had suffered a strategic "defeat" in the Middle East following the fall of Assad.

Syria’s new government pressed Russia for compensation during its first talks with a Kremlin delegation since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's new government has allegedly requested that Russia hand over former President Bashar al-Assad and his close aides, Reuters reported on Jan. 28, citing a Syrian source close to the matter. The demand was reportedly raised during the first negotiations between Syrian officials and a Kremlin delegation following Assad's ouster by rebels in

Syria’s new leaders said Wednesday they had discussed “transitional justice” with the first Russian official delegation to visit Damascus since the toppling of long-term Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad. The visit came with Russia keen to secure the fate of two military bases in Syria and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that Moscow had suffered