TAL KROUM, Syria: The Russian military said Tuesday that its forces in Syria will help U.N. peacekeepers fully restore patrols along the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
"The Russian flag is the guarantor of peace and security on that land," said Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko, speaking to international reporters on a trip to the area organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. He noted that Russian and Israeli officials have maintained regular communications, adding that "operations by Russian military police help ensure the security of Israel."
Russia has been President Bashar Assad's number one backer against rebels seeking to oust him. Moscow's military intervention in Syria has turned the tide of the war in his favor, helping his forces recapture key areas from the opposition. Russian military police have been deploying in all areas recaptured from rebels, including on the edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, after Syrian government forces regained control of the area last month.
Kuralenko said that the Russian military police have set up four checkpoints on the edge of the demilitarized zone and plan to add another four.