Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, 1 Rosh Chodesh Elul, is scheduled to fly to Russia, where he will meet with President Vladimir Putin. Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office announce the meeting will not be held in Moscow, but in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi, where the two will discuss “latest regional developments”, with a focus on the ongoing Syria civil war.

Russia has been backing the regime of Bashar al-Assad against rebel forces, and Israel and Russia have agreed to coordinate militarily and continue to meet regularly to discuss the ongoing civil war.

Israel is doing its utmost to remain out of the picture, seeking remain neutral while intelligence and defense officials carefully monitor events in the ongoing civil war. Israeli concerns include Iran’s involvement and its ongoing efforts to establish a permanent foothold in Syria, which has Israel seriously concerned.