Russia said on Wednesday that it strongly backs the actions of the Syrian leadership to counter an offensive by what it said were terrorist groups receiving support, including drones and training, from outside the country.

Images shared on social media have illustrated the anger that Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad feel toward his ally Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader has been indispensable in propping up Assad's regime during the brutal Syrian civil war that started in 2011 but has been essentially frozen over the last four years.

Russia says it backs Syrian leaders to counter what it calls 'terrorists' receiving support from abroad:: Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry :::: Moscow, Russia :: "It is simply impossible not to notice that this attack was carried out on the same day that the agreement on the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah came into force.

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson has announced from Moscow the upcoming release of an interview with Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. In a video post on X from outside Moscow's Red Square,

U.S. conservative media personality Tucker Carlson said on Wednesday that he was back in Russia to interview Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Carlson, a vocal supporter of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump,

The right-wing news personality said the sit-down was part of his effort to provide his audience with the "Russian perspective."