Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow supports Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's request for a Christmas ceasefire and a prisoner exchange with Ukraine, which Orbán made to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had fully supported a prisoner of war exchange between Moscow and Kyiv proposed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, but that Ukraine appeared to have turned down the idea.

The Kremlin on Wednesday played down the damage to Russian influence in the Middle East from the fall of Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, saying that its focus was on Ukraine and that Moscow was in contact with Syria's new rulers.

The Kremlin said on Monday President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to grant asylum in Russia to Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted as Syria's president by a lightning rebel offensive. Assad's fall is a big blow to Iran and Russia,

Assad fled to Moscow as opposition forces advance towards Damascus. Sources say Russian intelligence agents organized the escape, flying Assad out of a base in Syria before the aircraft's transponder was turned off to avoid being tracked.