The Kremlin said Monday that Russia has granted political asylum to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally made the decision to offer asylum to Assad, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov wouldn’t comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts. He said that Putin wasn’t planning to meet with Assad.

“Russian officials are in touch with representatives of armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have guaranteed security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions on the Syrian territory,” a source said. “Russia has always spoken in favour of a political settlement of the Syrian crisis. We insist that the UN-mediated talks be resumed,” the source added.