Russia has for the first time accepted that opposition rebels in Syria may defeat the current government around Bashar al-Assad.
Deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that Assad’s forces are “losing more and more control and territory”.
“Unfortunately, we cannot rule out the victory of the Syrian opposition,"
"If such a price for ousting the president seems acceptable to you, then what can we do? We consider it unacceptable," Mr Bogdanov said.
Russia is one of the strongest backers of Assad and has used its veto power in the Security Council to block resolutions condemning the government.
The Kremlin has criticised the recent recognition of the Syrian opposition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people by the US.
Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the US had decided to support the opposition to achieve an “armed victory”.
