MOSCOW, October 17./TASS/. Moscow favors the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity by putting all national territories, including the frontier zone with Turkey under the control of Damascus, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

"We are confident that a firm and long-term stabilization and security in that region of Syria, in the country and in the region in general is possible only through the restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the diplomat stated. "This means that all national territories, including the border with Turkey must ultimately be placed under the control of the legitimate Syrian government," Zakharova stressed.

On October 9, Turkey launched a military operation codenamed Peace Spring in northern Syria. It began with air strikes against Kurdish forces. The aim of the operation is to create a buffer zone to protect the Turkish border. Ankara believes that Syrian refugees might return from Turkey there.

The official Syrian news agency SANA slammed the operation as aggression. The international community criticized Ankara. In the evening of October 13 SANA said that Damascus had dispatched army units to the North to offer resistance to the Turkish army.