Bloomberg: Russia Pushed Assad to Flee

Bloomberg reports that Russian authorities pushed Bashar al-Assad to flee from Damascus amid rebel advances.

Allegedly, the video of the killing of Libya's leader, Moammar Qaddafi, and the conclusion that Assad had lost spurred the decision. Bloomberg's sources claim that Russian intelligence agents helped him escape via a Russian air base. The plane's transponder was reportedly turned off.

Supposedly, Vladimir Putin demanded to know why Russian intelligence services overlooked the growing threat to the Assad regime.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Assad and his family received asylum in Russia; Putin made the decision.

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