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