Syria's new leaders said Wednesday they had discussed "transitional justice" with the first Russian official delegation to visit Damascus since the toppling of long-term Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad.

The visit came with Russia keen to secure the fate of two military bases in Syria and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that Moscow had suffered a strategic "defeat" in the Middle East following Assad's ouster.

"The new administration... stressed that restoring relations must address past mistakes, respect the will of the Syrian people, and serve their interests," Syria's new government said in a statement.

The talks aimed to deliver "justice for the victims of the brutal war waged by the Assad regime," it added.

"The Russian side reaffirmed its unwavering support for the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic," Russia's foreign ministry stated.

A Syrian source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that al-Sharaa had requested that Moscow hand over former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Reuters request to confirm whether Russia had been asked to return Assad and pay compensation. However, he called the visit an "important trip."

"It is necessary to build and maintain a permanent dialogue with the Syrian authorities, which is what we will continue to do," Peskov told reporters.