By Andrew E Kramer and Alan Cowell, New York Times, June 18, 2012

MOSCOW — Introducing an unpredictable new element into the Syrian crisis, a news agency said on Monday that two Russian naval vessels with marines on board were ready to head for Syria to protect Russian citizens and a naval base there, in what would be the first known reinforcement of Moscow’s military presence since the start of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad [....]

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Russia and China Mull Syria ... and Saudi Arabia
By Peter Lee, Asia Times Online, June 15, 2012

Home page article summary: Russia and China aren't quite ready to throw the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad under a bus just yet in their shared vision for the Middle East. That would give free-rein to what they see as the mischief of Saudi Arabia, and a stance that is blocking their hopes both for Iran to emerge as a major, secure economic partner and ally, and for opportunities for making more oil and money flow again