Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov confirmed that Moscow had established direct contacts with the political committee of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which is banned in Russia as a terrorist organization. He told reporters in Moscow, explaining that the talks were taking place in Damascus.

According to Bogdanov, representatives of the Russian embassy met with members of the HTS political committee to discuss issues of ensuring the security of the Russian diplomatic mission and citizens in Syria.

"These contacts are proceeding in a constructive manner and we hope that all promises of the representatives of these people, who should be responsible for the situation in the city, will be fulfilled. I mean preventing any excesses and ensuring the safety of diplomatic representatives of foreign states, including the Russian embassy," - stressed the diplomat.

This step was unexpected given that Russia officially considers HTS a terrorist organization. However, experts associate such contacts with the new political reality in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The HTS group has strengthened its influence in the region and now claims the role of a political force.

At the same time, contacts with the political committee of the group do not mean its legitimization. Moscow's actions are aimed exclusively at ensuring the safety of diplomatic representatives and preventing escalation in the conflict zone.

It should be noted that the group's leadership does not comment on statements from the Russian side.