Moscow denies joining Assad’s fight against Daesh

Russia yesterday denied Israeli news reports that it is ready to participate in the operations against Daesh in Syria, Almesryoon.com reported.

“One should not believe these reports,” Russia Today reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

It said that the Israeli website Ynet reported that a Russian “expeditionary force” has arrived in Syria to set up a camp at a government airbase near Damascus in order to conduct airstrikes against Daesh.

According to Almesryoon.com, Peskov denied news that France is to send Mistral-class helicopter carriers made for Russia to a third country.

“We believe, as we have already emphasised, that Russia’s interests will be taken into account,” he told reporters, according to Sputnik International news website.

The website reported: “Last week, France repaid Russia around €900 million ($1 billion) in compensation for terminating the Mistral contract. Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa are reported to be among the ship’s potential buyers.”

Sputnik International said that in early August, Paris and Moscow terminated the Mistral contract over allegations that Russia was interfering in Ukraine.