A Russian delegation that arrived in Damascus, Syria, found the city calm, contrary to reports of numerous international media outlets.

“Even if people are displeased with the government, they do not take to the streets. Life is normal here, it’s quite opposite to what we are shown by TV channels,” Russian official Vyacheslav Matuzov told Voice of Russia radio station.

According to Matuzov, the world entered a new era. “Information war is going on. And being in Damascus today, we do see the results of this war,” he said.

The protests in Syria started in March in reaction to the arrest of schoolchildren in the town of Daraa for painting anti-government graffiti and snowballed. Protestors now want a Syria free of the Bashar al-Assad regime and true democratic elections. Assad has been in power since 2000; his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for three decades. Human rights groups say more than 2,000 people have been killed in the government's crackdown.