Russia has consistently supported the process of political settlement in Syria and vehemently opposed any steps that could potentially harm it, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in the wake of the ongoing Turkish operation.

“There is absolutely nothing new about Russia’s approach to this issue,” Peskov told the Russian media, commenting on the developments in northern Syria, where Turkish forces have launched an offensive against the Kurdish militias holding the area, who are considered terrorists by Ankara.

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The Russian president’s spokesman said that, from the very beginning of Turkey’s ‘Operation Peace Spring’, Moscow has been pointing out that “any actions that could hamper or stall the process of political settlement in Syria and further escalate tensions” there are “absolutely undesirable.”

At the same time, he made it clear that Russia “does not even consider” a possibility of a potential military conflict with Turkey in Syria. The spokesman said that the two nations have close contacts both between diplomats and the military that would help them avoid such a development.

However, Moscow has also clarified it did not approve of Turkey’s plans to occupy Syrian towns as part of its operation. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry denied reports that Russia has no objections against a Turkish assault on the Kurdish-held city of Kobani.

The notion had previously appeared in the Turkish media, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as in Al Jazeera and Western outlets like the New York Times. But the Russian ministry said the issue of Kobani “was not discussed” with Turkey, and branded the media reports “fake.”

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His words came amid the news that the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria allegedly reached an agreement with Damascus for Syrian government troops to be deployed along the border with Turkey. The Syrian Army already moved towards the border, entering the city of Manbij in the northern province of Aleppo late on Sunday, according to some reports.

On Sunday, Turkish Defense Ministry claimed its troops already pushed 30-35km into the Kurdish-held territory – well beyond its proposed 30km ‘safe zone.’ Turkey’s advances led to an exodus of Kurdish civilians from the area.

The Kurds were also reported to have abandoned the camps where Islamic State’s militants were held. Such a development sparked some concerns in Moscow as President Vladimir Putin previously warned that the Turkish offensive could contribute to the resurgence of the terrorist organization.

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