Use of Russian troops in Syria is out of question — Kremlin spokesman

The use of Russian troops in the Syrian conflict has never been even discussed, [Syrian President Bashar] Assad has never asked for that, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"No, this issue [sending of Russian troops to Syria] has never been discussed in any way. This issue is out of the agenda," he told journalists.

When asked whether Syrian President Bashar Assad had ever asked Russia to send its troops to his country, Peskov said, "No, this issue has never been raised."

Commenting on the statement by Russian airborne troops commander Vladimir Shamanov who said that Russian paratroopers were ready to go to Syria if they were ordered to, the Kremlin spokesman said, "There ought to be no doubts that Russian airborne troops will fulfill any order from their commander-in-chief."

Earlier on Tuesday, Shamanov told journalists that Russia’s airborne troops were ready to assist Syria in countering terrorists, if such a task is set by Russia’s leaders. "Of course we will execute the order set forth by the country’s leadership, if there is a task at hand," Shamanov said, in response to a Syrian reporter’s question about the readiness of the Russian airborne troops to render assistance to Syria’s government in its battle against terrorism.

Peskov also said that the use of Russian military aircraft in Syria is out of question at the moment. "This issue is not looked at now," he said. "I have no other information."