Syrian president Assad backs Putin on Ukraine - Syrian presidency

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, September 13, 2021. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and supported his position regarding Ukraine, the Syrian presidency said in a statement on Friday.

"During the call, they talked about the situation in Ukraine and the special military operation by the Russian Federation to protect the civilian population in the Donbass region," the statement said.