Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War

The European Parliament on Thursday strongly condemned a notorious Russian paramilitary body, saying it "condemns in the strongest terms the heinous crimes committed by the Wagner Group and related private military entities".

The EU must sanction Russia's private army, known as the Wagner Group.

This is what a European Parliament resolution calls for, adopted by an overwhelming majority of 585 votes in favor. Curiously, it is supported by all five Bulgarian Socialist MEPs. They usually either oppose or abstain in a vote against Russia.

The groundwork for a working visit to Russia by Turkey's president is being laid, a Kremlin spokesman said on Sept. 20.

"Indeed, a working visit by Turkish President  [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan to the Russian Federation is being prepared," Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

All those on board of the Be-200 amphibious aircraft that crashed in Turkey were killed, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday.

"The five crew members of the Russian Be-200 aircraft that crashed in the Republic of Turkey and three citizens of the Republic of Turkey who were pointing out fire locations were killed," the ministry said.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Be-200ChS aircraft of the Russian Naval Aviation crashed near Adana, Turkey at about 15.10 Moscow Time on Saturday, August 14, 2021. The plane was part of the forces fighting with wildfires in Turkey.

Russia, Turkey, and Iran on July 8 agreed to continue working together to combat terrorism and condemned the increasing terrorist activities in various parts of Syria, according to a joint statement by the representatives of the three guarantor countries released after the 16th international meeting on Syria in Astana format.

Turkey and Russia will hold two-day talks on Syria and Libya, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has an-nounced, amid ongoing ceasefires in both theaters.

Amnesty International on May 11 said it has documented 18 attacks in northwest Syria carried out by regime and Russian forces over the past year that amounted to "war crimes".    

Russia-backed regime forces have since late April 2019 waged two deadly military campaigns against Syria's last major rebel bastion of Idlib, which has become home for some three million people.    

Turkish and Russian forces carried out their sixth joint patrol along a key highway in northwestern Syria on April 28. 

Russia on April 23 praised Turkey's efforts in Idlib, northwestern Syria that aim to eliminate terrorists.

Speaking at a news conference in the capital, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow expects the Turkish military to separate opposition groups from what it called "terrorists" in the region.