Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad affirmed on Tuesday his country's support of Russia's recognition of the sovereignty of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

Mekdad affirmed Damascus' support for RUssian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the sovereignty of the two republics, declaring solidarity with the people of the LPR and DPR. He also indicated that his country would cooperate with the two new countries.

Mekdad: West waging a campaign of "lies and deception"

During a speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow, the Syrian Foreign Minister pointed out that "what the West is doing against Russia at present is similar to what it did against Syria during the terrorist war."

Mekdad considered Monday during his meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that the campaign of "lies and deception" waged by the West against Russia is the same campaign that was previously launched against Syria.

He also reiterated Syria's support of Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to overcome the crises ignited by the West, noting that Western countries are encouraging Kiev's aggression against Russia by establishing their military bases in Ukraine.

Ongoing military-technical and economic cooperation

For his part, Lavrov pointed out that Moscow and Damascus are in the process of expanding military-technical and economic cooperation between them, noting that Russia will continue its joint work aimed at achieving a political solution to the crisis in Syria that guarantees the preservation of its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

It is noteworthy that the UN Security Council held an emergency session to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and Russia's recognition of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

Ukraine shelling Donbass

The two republics have accused Kiev of repeatedly shelling the Donbass region with 120mm mortars, which are banned by the Minsk agreements.

Acting Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan revealed Monday that around 61,000 citizens of the DPR and LPR had crossed the border into Russia's Rostov Region as part of an evacuation amid the escalation in eastern Ukraine.