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The Syrian President's Kids Are Reportedly Learning Russian

Pavel Golovkin / AP

Bashar al-Assad’s children have started learning Russian, Syria’s ambassador to Russia revealed this Friday in Moscow.

“President Bashar al-Assad’s decision to make Russian a second language in Syria is one of the ways the Syrian people are showing their gratitude to the Russian people for their support. Many families are even naming their children after Putin. And I’ll tell you: it’s no secret that the president’s children are studying Russian now,” Syrian Ambassador Riyad Haddad said in a speech to the Federation Council.

The diplomat added that Russian language classes are now available at every university in Syria, and at schools beginning in the seventh grade.

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