Russia has established communication channels with the political committee of the Syrian Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as reported by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. The discussions are aimed at maintaining Russian military bases in Syria to continue combating international terrorism, with hopes that HTS will ensure the safety of diplomats and prevent abuse of power. Bogdanov confirmed that the two Russian bases in Syria remain operational as part of the ongoing fight against the remnants of ISIS.