TOKYO:Ukraine is strengthening its relationship with Syria andassisted in the downfall of former President Bashaar Assad,Japan’sMainichi newspaper reports.

It said that Ukraine sent drones to support the overthrow of the Assad regime andhas beenp sendinggrain to Syria as humanitarian aid.

But while Ukraine aims toweaken the influence of Russia inthe country, the Syrian interim government has shown a certain degree of consideration for Russia.

Syria’s interim government leadershiphasdescribed Russia as “the second most powerful country in the world” andsaid,“We do not want Russia to withdraw in a way that damages Syria-Russia relations.”

Russia assisted Assad in fighting off rebel armiesand it has a militarybase in western Syria. Russia wasalsogranted a 49-year lease on the Hmeimim Air Base, in addition to a supply base for the Russian Navy, which it has hadsince the Soviet era.

On December 30, Ukrainian Foreign MinisterAndriiSybiha visited the Syrian capital Damascus and met with the interim government’s Foreign MinisterAsaadShaybani. Shaybani said that “a strategic partnership will be built” between the two countries.

Sybihasaidthat “the Syrian and Ukrainian people have had the same experience.” He advised Ukraine to distance itself from Russia.

Reports said that Ukraine sent about 150 drones and 20 pilots to theSyrianopposition about four to five weeks ago. OnDecember 27, President Zelensky announced that he had sent 500 tons of Ukrainian flour to Syria in cooperation with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).