World Bulletin / News Desk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed Russian troops' presence in Syria, but denied any accusations of military buildup Thursday.

"There are Russian army servicemen in Syria, they are there for years now. Their presence is related to military equipment and humanitarian aid supplies for Syrian army, which is, for your information, struggling against terrorism in the face of ISIL and other extremist groups," Lavrov said. 

According to top Russian diplomat, Russian troops help their "Syrian colleagues" to learn how to use the military equipment and prepare it for the combat against terrorists.

Lavrov notified that Russia intends to keep helping Damascus.

Earlier, the U.S. and NATO expressed their deep concerns over reports which suggest that Russian troops fight alongside Syrian army.