Assad thanks Russia December 24, 2016 President of Russia Verified account @ KremlinRussia_E Vladimir Putin’s annual news conference bit.ly/2ipZw3F Syrian President, Bashar Assad, has expressed his gratitude to Vladimir Putin and the Russian people for their help in liberating Aleppo from terrorists as the two leaders talked a day after Damascus assumed full control over the city.The phone conversation was initiated by Russia as Putin congratulated his Syrian counterpart with the conclusion of the Aleppo operation. The two sides discussed during the phone call the next political process in Syria, with President al-Assad thanking President Putin and Russia as a key ally for Syria which contributed along with other allies to liberating Aleppo,” the Syrian state-owned news agency SANA reported. This success has become possible due to joint efforts of all those who closed the ranks in fight against international terrorism in Syria,” the Kremlin press-