video transcript

Dozens of Russians arrive in Moscow on Wednesday after being evacuated from war-torn Syria. The 77 evacuees were taken from Syria to Lebanon by bus, and then boarded flights from Beirut. The evacuations are the strongest signal yet that Russia may be preparing for the possibility of President Bashar al-Assad's fall But Russia says the situation in Syria does not require a mass exodus of the tens of thousands of Russians who live there. One of the evacuated Russians said the situation is Syria is tense - with fighting going on around them he took the opportunity to leave with his children. Russia has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful foreign protector during the 22 month uprising against his rule. Moscow has vetoed three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed to push him out or pressure him to end the bloodshed.