The Kremlin was largely silent on Sunday morning as Islamist-led rebels announced they had taken Damascus in a rapid offensive, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country and ending five decades of Ba’ath rule in Syria.

President Vladimir Putin, who helped Assad stay in power when Moscow intervened in the Syrian civil war in 2015, has not yet commented on the events.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday it was “closely following the dramatic events in Syria” and called on everyone to “refrain from the use of force and resolve all problems through political means.”

“As a result of the recent negotiations between B. Assad and several participants in the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, he made the decision to resign from the presidency and leave the country, ordering a peaceful transfer of power,” the ministry said. He added that Moscow was not involved in the negotiations.

Russia also said it was “in contact with all factions of the Syrian opposition.”

The Russian embassy in Syria told The state news agency TASS said all employees were safe after the offensive.

“We are fine,” an embassy employee told TASS, without giving further details.

Senator Konstantin Kosachev said Moscow’s main priority was “ensuring the safety” of Russian citizens in Syria.

“If the Syrian people continue to need our support, it will be provided. However, it is unlikely to result in conditions of full-scale civil war. The Syrians have to deal with this on their own,” Kosachev said said.

“For us as Russians, the main task is to ensure the safety of our compatriots and civilians, including diplomats and their families, and of course the military personnel who are there for Syria,” Kosachev said. also refers to personnel at Russian military bases in Syria.

Russia has two strategically important military facilities in Tartus and Khmeimim, which serve as repair centers and bases for the transfer of its military contractors to and from Africa.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that “Russian military bases in Syria are in heightened combat readiness.”

On Saturday, Russia held talks in Qatar with Assad ally Iran and opposition supporter Turkey to prevent Syria from descending into chaos following insurgent attacks.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Syria must not fall into the hands of a “terrorist group,” referring to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that led the attack and has roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. HTS has tried to soften its image in recent years but remains ostracized by Western governments as a “terrorist organization.”

HTS captured Damascus on Sunday.

AFP contributed reporting.