Russian lawmakers voted unanimously on Wednesday to let President Vladimir Putin send Russian troops to Syria. The Kremlin sought to play down the decision, saying it will only use its air force there, not ground troops. Putin has to request parliamentary approval for any use of Russian troops abroad, according to the constitution. The last time he did so was before Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in March 2014. The Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, discussed Putin’s request for the authorisation behind closed doors today.
Sergei Ivanov, chief of Putin’s administration, said in televised remarks after the …read more
Source: Daily News & Analysis
