BEIRUT: Syrian supporters of President Bashar Assad held a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in Beirut Sunday.

Chanting slogans and hailing of the increasingly isolated leader, some 50 people met in front of the Russian Embassy in Corniche al-Mazraa, Beirut, at around 1 p.m.

With flags of Syria and pictures of Assad, the protesters also thanked Moscow for its stance on the crisis in their country.

The pro-Assad protest comes a day after the Syrian National Council urged Saturday Syria’s diaspora to protest outside Russian embassies against Moscow's opposition to a draft resolution on Syria at the U.N. Security Council.

The U.N. estimates over 5,000 Syrians, mostly civilians, have been killed since a government crackdown targeting protesters calling for reform, including the departure of Assad, erupted in March 2011. Syrian authorities deny targeting civilians, saying “armed gangs,” backed by foreign powers, are responsible for the deaths of civilians as well as members of the Syrian army and security services.