Russia capable of rapidly evacuating nationals from Syria

The Russian naval forces stationed in the Mediterranean Sea are capable of evacuating its nationals from Syria if they receive such a order, the Navy said Friday. "The group of Russian warships consisted of the vessels from several fleets is capable of implementing such a task rapidly if the order to conduct such an operation arrives," a source with the Navy told Xinhua in a telephone interview. No such order has been issued as of 17:00 Moscow time (1300 GMT) Friday, the source noted. According to earlier statements made by the Navy, it will conduct a routine rotation in the Mediterranean Sea on Sept. 1-7, with guard ship Neustrashimy, large assault landing ships Shabalin, Admiral Nevelsky and Peresvet to be replaced by a large anti-boat ship Admiral Panteleyev and two large assault landing ships Minsk and Novocherkassk. Russia's moves in the Mediterranean have drawn huge attention from the world, as a possible U.S.-led military attack on Syria over alleged chemical weapons use by the Syrian government has been debated heatedly and received mixed reactions.