Putin officially grants bloodthirsty pal Assad asylum in Russia after tyrant forced into hiding by rebel uprising
VLADIMIR Putin personally granted political asylum to ousted Syrian tyrant Bashar al Assad who was forced to flee after rebels toppled his government.
Assad's fellow despot and friend Putin granted him refuge as he scrambled to get out of Syria - fleeing to Moscow by helicopter on Sunday.
Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov confirmed the move on Monday, telling reporters that Putin had made the call himself.
He said Russia had "nothing to say about Assad's whereabouts".
Syrian rebels took down Assad's government after 24 years of violent rule.
They conducted a 10-day lightning blitz that culminated yesterday - with gleeful rebels dancing in Damascus following Assad's surrender.
Delighted fighters also posted footage from inside Assad's presidential palace - looting through his luxury belongings and tearing the building apart.
Peskov said the astonishing development "surprised the whole world", adding that Russia is "no exception."
Meanwhile a group of men at the Syrian embassy in Moscow raised the opposition flag on Monday morning, AFP reported.
They sang and cheered from the balcony underneath the green, white and black flag with red stars.
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