"60 MINUTES" GOES TO RUSSIA'S SYRIAN BASE TO REPORT ON ITS AIR WAR AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD - SUNDAY

Russian Lawmaker Expresses His Dissatisfaction with Syrian Dictator Assad

Bill Whitaker and 60 MINUTES cameras were permitted to visit and report from Russia's main military base in Syria, where the Russians are waging an air war against the enemies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Whitaker also interviews a top Russian lawmaker with a critical role in the campaign who expresses his dissatisfaction with Assad, an ally of Russia. Whitaker's report will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES, Sunday, Jan. 10 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The air base is near Latakia, Syria, along the Mediterranean, and it now houses what the Pentagon estimates to be 4,000 Russian military support staff for the air war. 60 MINUTES cameras record armed warplanes taking off on their bombing sorties, including Russia's newest fighter-bomber, the SU-34.

Adm.Vladimir Komoyedov, Chairman of the Russian Parliament's Defense Committee, believes removing Assad would be "an enormous mistake" that would create chaos. Yet he is clearly disappointed with Syrian dictator. "The problem is that he has lost some of his authority," he tells Whitaker. "We know why the opposition was formed. It was formed due to the mistakes of the president of Syria himself," says Komoyedov.

He says the Syrians have had their lives ruined due in large part to those mistakes, especially the way he has waged war against rebels by killing many civilians. Komoyedov used a derogatory word to describe Assad that 60 MINUTES agreed not to use on the air.

Nevertheless, he says "We have been fulfilling our obligations to Syria and we will go on fulfilling them, but [President] Assad shouldn't rest on his laurels. He needs to work on his army and raise its morale," says Komoyedov. "If necessary, lead the army himself... unite his forces which are scattered like fingers. They must be clenched into a fist."

60 MINUTES cameras also were permitted aboard the Russian guided missile cruiser Moscow. The ship was deployed recently to provide anti-aircraft defense after a Russian warplane was downed by Turkey.

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