Russia has granted asylum to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family in the wake of the collapse of his regime, Russian state media reported on Sunday.

Assad arrived in Moscow with his family after they fled Syria following a rapid rebel advance that pushed him out of office.

Russia is an ally of Assad and provided his regime with military assistance in the Syrian Civil War.

Assad’s regime was highly controversial across the world. His military utilized chemical warfare in the war and targeted civilian populations along with other war crimes.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.