Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says that demands for Syrian President Bashar Assad's departure are "thoughtless."

In remarks televised Saturday, Dmitry Peskov also said the entire territory of Syria should be "liberated" and the country's integrity should be fully preserved. Peskov's statement comes as the break in the fighting Russia has declared in the besieged city of Aleppo entered its third day.

The U.N. greeted the lull intended to allow the evacuation of wounded civilians and fighters from the rebel-held eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo shattered by airstrikes, but the rebels have rejected the offer to evacuate and no evacuations were seen along the corridors created by the Syrian government.

Russia launched an air campaign in support of Assad a year ago, helping his forces win some key ground.