Are russia and syria allies Russia is talking to those in charge about keeping its military bases in Syria. In addition, it could be a subject of potential dialogue with the United States, which is The surprise rebel offensive in Syria’s civil war illustrates just how interconnected the world’s conflicts are right now. Syria allies: Why Russia, Iran and China are standing by the regime Holly Yan, CNN 7 minute read Updated 9:01 PM EDT, Thu August 29, 2013 Link Copied! Video Ad It comes as Syria's powerful allies, Iran and Russia, are distracted with other conflicts. Once a centerpiece of Russia’s reassertion on the global stage, Syria now starkly illustrates the fragility of alliances built on coercion and convenience. -based Syrian Russian and Syrian warplanes bombed the rebel-held city of Idlib on Sunday in an attempt to push back insurgents who have swept across northern Syria. In fact, interactions have been recorded as far back as the tenth and eleventh centuries as Russian merchants and pilgrims traveled to the Levant for reasons A map shows areas of control in northwestern Syria as of February 15. As the United States and its allies use sanctions as their preferred nonmilitary coercive tool of choice, other governments under sanctions—China, Syria, North Korea, Venezuela—are being pushed to deepen cooperation with How the United States addresses challenges in Syria and Turkey will shape the region’s future, as well as the United States’ role in it. BEIRUT, Lebanon—Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies reached Syria’s second city of Aleppo on Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian Russia has been one of Syria's staunchest allies for decades Russia is one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most important international backers and the survival of the Russian influence and presence in the broad Middle East (North Africa, the Levant, and Persian Gulf) have significantly fluctuated over the last several decades. In 2015, The Kremlin used the campaign to mock the US and its allies over their failed Middle Eastern policies. The leaders of both Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in Syria showed that Russia and its allies can be defeated, as Poland's neighbour Ukraine battles Moscow's forces. Syria is an important part of Russia's alliance and they want to keep it. “The expected outcome of the Erdogan-Putin meeting is an oral agreement to limit the Turkish offensive Though Israeli-Russian coordination grew, Israel did not stop hitting Iran and its allies inside Syria, augmenting its attacks over time. Eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey While clarifying who Russia’s allies are in 2018, Take Syria – clearly, Russia helps Bashar al-Assad’s government a lot in militarily and political terms. This paper interrogates Russia's military intervention in the Some of America’s most critical allies in the fight against ISIS have made a deal to cede territory to Russian and Syrian government troops in northern Syria, the Pentagon confirmed Friday. [16] MENASource January 2, 2025 Print this page Russia is making a fragile pivot from Syria to Libya. The chapter analyses Russia-Syria cooperation after the end of the main phase of counterterrorist operation. Is Russia and Syria allies? Russia–Syria relations are the bilateral relations between Russia and Syria. Why the United States and Russia Both Have Troops in Syria. The two countries signed 20-year cooperation pact, but despite anti-US stance there are limits to their Russia and Iran are allies in Syria not out of mutual sympathy, but for pragmatic reasons. The United States and Russia maintain one of the most Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war; Part of the foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war, and the war against the Islamic State: Top: Various military operations carried out via Syria, a close ally of Russia, has announced it is formally breaking diplomatic ties with Ukraine in response to a similar move by Kyiv. Russia, stretched thin by its grinding war in Ukraine, is unlikely to redeploy significant forces to Syria. ” Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Syrian President Bashar Assad watch troops at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, on Dec. 1 In the 1960s and early 1970s The UK has been in "diplomatic contact" with the rebel group in Syria that ousted Bashar al Assad, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said. S. This, in conjunction with their propensity to construct or manipulate existing problems elsewhere, will allow Russia, Putin hopes, to exert influence over the Escalating regional tensions raised the risk of Syria being drawn into a larger armed confrontation, potentially undermining Moscow's foothold in the region. The rebels have made stunning gains against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, with Russia, Iran and Hezbollah Iran and Russia condemned the US and Israel for toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, with Iran accusing them of orchestrating the conflict and Russia blaming Israel for strikes on Syria and actions in the Golan Putin has long boasted of Russia's success in Syria. As figure 1 shows, has also earned Iran and Russia will likely sign a strategic partnership treaty in Moscow later this year, upgrading a partnership the sometimes allies, sometimes foes established in the early 2000s. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has completely eclipsed Russia’s other military But Syria’s allies – Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Russia – came to the rescue. For Russia, a staunch ally of the Assad regime since 2015, this development marks a severe setback to its regional influence. This new period of conflict in Syria, with Russia Over the years, the conflict has morphed into a complex war drawing in jihadists and foreign powers, including Assad allies Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. Russia launched its first airstrikes in the region in over a year as Syrian Army and Iranian ground forces such as the IRGC, the Afghan Fatemiyoun, Imam And to the extent Russia succeeds in motivating various contending parties in Syria to cooperate with Moscow, America’s effort to counter Russian influence in the Middle East is made more difficult by the fact that Iran may not be worth Russian and Chinese intervention. Syria rebels, allies cut key highway as "Ankara is sending a message to both Damascus and Moscow to back down from their military efforts in northwest Syria," he said. Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent Russia and Syria have no legally binding commitments that would compel them to join the hostilities in case of an attack against one of the partners. In 2019, Turkey angered its NATO allies by buying Russian S-400 missiles, “While the US cannot impose its values on other countries, it can prevent the flow of American and European money to these countries,” says Zalzberg, indicating that the post-war reconstruction of Syria remains a far Russia and Turkey are becoming allies, In the long term, a closer block of Russia-Syria-Iran-Turkey-Qatar may emerge, alongside other powerful states such as China, Pre-Soviet and Soviet Relations with Syria Russian-Syrian relations stretch back far before the creation of the modern Russian and Syrian states. According to this, the US and Russia are almost equal. The eight-year-long conflict in Syria had seemed to be winding down. The Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev The UK has been in "diplomatic contact" with the rebel group in Syria that ousted Bashar al Assad, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said. Russia enjoys a historically strong, stable, and friendly relationship with Syria, as See more Militarily, Belarus is Russia’s closest ally, having allowed both its land and airspace to be used by the Kremlin’s forces. As Russia finds itself embroiled in simultaneous crises—its waning Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies breached Syria's second city of Aleppo on Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government. relations with Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Asaad’s dramatic departure will have sweeping implications amid the Introduction. Wagner group proceeded to get hammered by artillery and airstrikes with nearly Russian involvement in the Middle East has been ongoing for centuries, beginning either in the ninth century assault on Constantinople by the Rus or in the reign of Russia perceived the Arab Spring uprisings as a threat to its influence in the region, as many of the countries affected had long-standing relationships with Russia. As a result, Russia sought to establish new allies in the region. While providing assistance to its allies, Russia tries to prevent the As the nine-year Syrian civil war enters its final turn, Turkey and Russia, long-time allies in Syria, are on the brink of war over the Syrian province of Idlib. Cooperation deepened as Russia and Iran worked There are some allies, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, for example, that are considerably more powerful than others. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2021 Russia–United States summit in Geneva, Switzerland. rebels & supporters. Syria also remained a useful potential bargaining chip for Moscow in its relations with Washington. In 2015, Russia officially intervened with troops and airstrikes aimed at opposition groups. Russia first intervened directly in Syria's war in 2015 with strikes on rebel-held areas. N. While some Russian airstrikes have hit areas BEIRUT-Militants, rebels and their Turkish-backed allies reached Syria’s second city of Aleppo on Nov 29, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed Russia already had a decades-long relationship with the Assad government, Iran and Syria have been allies since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. By the end of the 10th century, Syria and Jazira were under Fatimid, Iranian, Multi-country discussions on Syria ended on the sidelines of the Doha summit on Saturday as anti-government fighters continued their march onto Damascus. As a result, President Putin started to look for allies elsewhere in the region. On the ground, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as well as its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah helped fight the Literature on Syria's conflict are a washed with efforts of different parties, countries and organisations towards solving the crisis. Depending on how one interprets the United States’s actions in Syria, this is either part of a tradition of proxy wars between these India relies on Russian-made weapons, Israel needs Russia’s cooperation to strike inside Syria and Gulf Arab states look to Russia to help manage the oil market. Hassan Ibrahim | Hussam al-Mahmoud | Hani Karazi. Russia says its campaign is meant to weaken Islamic State and other fighters it considers “terrorists"; Western officials say most of the strikes instead have targeted Syrian rebels fighting Assad. Despite resisting pressure thus far from Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops into Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has had no qualms about the thousands of mis Image Source: Getty Former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad was Russia’s crucial ally in West Asia, with Russia taking an active role in regional geopolitics since the Syrian civil war Russia is not a new player — it is a long-time ally of Syria and it has been a main supporter of the Assad regime since the start of the crisis. This is what they potentially stand to gain, or lose, from Assad's The obvious explanation is that Syria’s key allies – Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah – are all under pressure and let their guard down. N Russia and Syria: Questions of War and Peace. U. Forces supportive of the Syrian government, an ally of Russia and Iran, have decided to help Syrian Kurdish forces, allies of “Far from being allies, Turkey and Russia are competitors. [9] They resulted Notwithstanding all the difficulties, for Russia, Syria is a valuable asset that can be used in negotiations with Turkey, Iran, and Israel. Israel depends on Russian cooperation to be able to strike at the proxies of its regional enemy Iran in Syria. According to many reports, Iranian leaders—nota-bly including Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Al-Quds force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC)—were instrumental in convinc- Ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab neighbours and securing the return of the Golan Heights, have been the primary goals of the Syrian Arab Republic's foreign policy. There is no military solution to the Syrian conflict. When the need arises, however, history has taught us everyone counts and that everyone can help. Iran and Russia have been military allies in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and also share an But the Kremlin isn’t without its allies. backed by his Russian and Iranian allies. For the past few years the struggle in Syria between a corrupt, brutal regime in Damascus and a divided, With the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Russia lost a key ally in the Middle East -but it still hopes to keeps its military bases in Syria. The leaders of both countries have said as much, and it is taken as a The recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria has introduced significant shifts in the geopolitical landscape, reverberating far beyond the Middle East. Russia already had a decades-long relationship with the Assad government, Iran and Syria have been allies since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. The prolongation of Syria’s now-seven-year conflict undermines U. US and allies supplying weapons and advisers to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces; ISIL loses most of its territory in Syria by December 2017 [41] On 19 September, the US deployed President Trump’s decision to withdraw U. relations with Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Asaad’s dramatic departure will have sweeping implications amid the Russia and Syria have been allies since the Cold War. Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies breached Syria's second city of Aleppo on Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government. Syria’s years-long civil war has provided a proxy battleground for U. -backed forces are battling the jihadis. Russia’s interaction with the United States in Syria is largely focused on military deconfliction, which is aimed at preventing incidents between the The whole situation is much more complicated than just Syria & allies vs. Starting in 2016, Russia and Iran, propping up the regime of Bashar al-Assad, needed more than a year of bombing, ground assaults Russia and Iran are allies in Syria not out of mutual sympathy, but for pragmatic reasons. Longtime allies of Assad, the Russians set up a base in Syria this fall that launches airstrikes and added cruise missiles fired from the sea. For the foreseeable future, Syria will remain caught between the fires of allies and adversaries, unless there is room for an Arab solution that remains obscure. Syria allies: Why Russia, Iran and China are standing by the regime Holly Yan, CNN 7 minute read Updated 9:01 PM EDT, Thu August 29, 2013 Link Copied! Video Ad Feedback. Israel’s allies have mostly stayed quiet on the capture of territory in the buffer zone and beyond, although France on Wednesday called for Israel to withdraw and respect Syria’s sovereignty. The fighters took control of "half Russia and Iran: Economic Influence in Syria Summary • Russia and Iran, the two main military allies and enablers of the Syrian regime, are engaged in competition over access to the Syrian economy, with a particular focus on opportunities to obtain reconstruction contracts. With Russia and Iran distracted by regional conflicts, a stagnant 13-year-long civil war in Syria has In the spring and summer of 2018, the Syrian regime’s offensive in Daraa signaled a breakdown of the deescalation zone brokered by the United States, Russia, and Jordan in southern Syria. Syrian rebels regrouped, seized on weakness of government’s key allies. Russian experts consider three scenarios of rebuilding Syria: “in-house” with the assistance of Syria’s allies; with the active involvement of the EU (after lifting sanctions); and co-financed by the Gulf states. forces from northern Syria has profound implications for stability both within Syria and throughout the Middle East. 55 This would have very negative consequences for the As the noose around Aleppo tightens -- and the Assad regime and its Russian allies continue to bomb the city -- the extremely dangerous nature of this proxy war is becoming . Iran and Russia are strategic allies [4] [5] [6] and form an axis in the Caucasus alongside Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies reached Syria's second city of Aleppo on Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government. But some of Moscow's traditional friends are still fully backing Putin. As we have seen, the Syrian regime, Russian, and Iranian military actions only offer more destruction and death. Buyid Iran and the Hamdanid Emirate of Syria and Jazira vied for dominance in the Middle East. During his June 2024 trip to North Korea, Putin threatened to proliferate military technology to the country, comparing such support to Western support to Ukraine. Published Dec 06, 2024 at 5:15 PM EST Updated Dec 07, led by President Bashar al-Assad and backed by Russia supported the Ba'athist administration of former resident Bashar al-Assad of Syria from the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011: politically, with military aid, and (from September 2015 to December 2024) with direct military Surprise Aleppo offensive, led by controversial faction, has blindsided Bashar al-Assad and his allies. Russia has sought to forge closer ties with North Korea, China, Iran, Syria for military and equipment support in its fight against the US, UK and European countries who have been providing financial aid and weapons to The timing of this rebel campaign couldn’t be worse for Assad’s allies. In addition to Russia, Russian ties with Syria began to strengthen because of their previous Cold War relationship. For Syria’s allies, especially Russia, the Islamic State is just one of many insurgent groups that they have called terrorists. “Why has Moscow backed the Assad regime in Syria so strongly? More than anything else, this appears to be the result of Russian President Putin’s conviction that this is the right thing to do—both in foreign policy terms Most of Russia's allies and countries that usually try to remain neutral are struggling what to make of the attack on Ukraine. As well as Russia, ISIS Takes Advantage of Rebel Gains in Syria, US Allies Warn. Nonetheless, the meeting underscores the reality that over a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow still has international partners and allies. K. said humanitarian convoys are ready to head to 10 locations including besieged eastern Ghouta near Likewise, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 34 months ago, likely considered little how few jets or troops it might leave Moscow to uphold its Middle Eastern allies with. In a four-way summit held in Istanbul on 27 October 2018, Russia, Turkey, Germany, and France discussed a way forward in Syria that – Russian involvement in the Middle East has been ongoing for centuries, beginning either in the ninth century assault on Constantinople by the Rus or in the reign of Russia is al-Assad’s main military backer, alongside Iran. This The Russia-backed Syrian military and its allies entered ISIS-held Raqqa, where U. In Syria, Putin backed President Bashar al-Assad while Erdogan backed rebel fighters. Even if you were to control for Iraq and Afghanistan and Nuclear weapons the US still would have Russia beat by a wide margin. It has blocked international action against Assad Largely overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, Syria remains a deeply divided and violent country, where military conflict has recently reignited. At many points in its history, Syria has Mr. The US wants to take Syria, to defeat one of Russia's last remaining allies, to create a pipeline so that they can reduce Europe's dependency on Russian oil and presumably to install a regime favourable to Israel. There are fears that a similar withdrawal from Syria could have detrimental consequences, leaving a power vacuum that could be filled by the Syrian military, Russia, or Turkey. By engaging in Syria, Russia has gained influence across the region. Russia feared that the overthrow of these leaders would lead to the loss of its influence in the region. Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback Syria’s years-long civil war has provided a proxy battleground for U. Even during the war in Ukraine, Russia’s military presence in the country gave Moscow leverage over both Türkiye and Israel Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies breached Syria's second city of Aleppo on Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government. Once a centerpiece of Russia’s reassertion on the global stage, Syria now starkly illustrates the fragility of alliances built on coercion and Russia in particular has been a strong military force in favor of Assad, with Russian troops being stationed in Syria since launching an intervention during the country's civil war in 2015. As well as Russia, Turkey, Iran, Russia and the United States have all deployed troops in Syria since 2011, while Israel mounts frequent airstrikes in Syrian territory. Deraa, known as the ‘cradle of the revolution’ is fourth city al-Assad loses in a single week. Russian media outlets reported Russia and Syria: Questions of War and Peace. Bashar al-Assad, Analysis: Russia, Iran strengthen alliance after Syria setback. In early 2024, following the 24 February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a number of allies of Ukraine signed long-term bilateral security treaties with Ukraine for many years to come (often a period of 10 years). Russia and Syria have gradually become allies since the civil war broke out in the Middle East state in 2011. And in this case, Turkey has outsmarted Russia. The Evolution of Russian-Iranian Cooperation in Syria When mass protests in Dera’a intensified into a nation-wide civil war in the spring of 2011, the prospects for strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran in Syria The so-called “axis of the vulnerable” is breaking in Syria. Russia has been one of Syria's staunchest allies for decades Russia is one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most important international backers and the survival of the Assad has fled to Moscow, Iran has withdrawn from Syria and abandoned its mercenaries, and Russia’s remaining soldiers are isolated in the Assadist strongholds of Latakia and Tartus — where With tactical finesse, Russia's leadership has chosen Erdogan as its partner in Syria, and is in the process of gradually prying him away from NATO -- all while repeatedly thwarting the Turkish US called up Russia to clear any misunderstandings because they were going to defend themselves, Russians said there were no Russian troops in the area. Russia and Syria clashed with the US and its Western allies Wednesday over responsibility for the failure of a cease-fire to take hold in Syria as the U. More than 230 officials Syria jihadists, allies cut key he said "Ankara is sending a message to both Damascus and Moscow to back down from their military efforts in northwest Syria," he said. Moscow’s ties to Syria long predate the civil war, Its management of the situation has been a failure since it asked for Russian and Iranian help, and it failed to address domestic issues or make use of the Arab world’s overtures. He made the comment as he announced that the UK will Russia assisted Iran’s nuclear program and began to be seen as a suitable partner for mutual resistance against the economic and military pressures of the U. Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham. The United States, Russia, Türkiye and Iran are among the key global players with a foothold in Syria. The Syrian military rushed in reinforcements All the standard public relations ploys were in evidence for the recent meeting between Syria’s leader Bashar al-Assad and Russian envoy Alexander Lavrentiev in Damascus. In response, Russia began playing a more active role in southern The ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran has opened the way to peace talks in Kazakhstan between the Syrian government and opposition. and its allies. The Iranians were able to expel the Hamdanids from Baghdad. US Edition. Turkey-Russia rivalry. Recently Western countries have said Assad could play some role in a transition. He made the comment as he announced that the UK will Charging Rebels, Fleeing Allies: How Syria's Bashar Al-Assad Reached Russia Bashar al-Assad's government fell 11 days after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five Russia deployed warplanes in Syria in 2015, establishing an air base in Latakia province from where it carried out an air campaign that tilted the conflict Assad's way. Russia and Syria are allies, Russia's hold over Syria plays a role. Assad and Putin discussed cooperation between their armies and ways to continue operations to gain control of the last rebel-held areas in Syria, state media in Damascus reported. IE 11 is not supported. 11, 2017. HTS and its allies launched their offensive on Wednesday, the day a Lebanon ceasefire began. Vladimir Putin, speaking to state media in Russia, warned that the attacks could “lead to a “new wave of asylum seekers from Syria and the whole region”. strategic interests. Two foreign diplomats in Moscow said it was a mistake to view Russia and Iran as the closest allies in the Syria conflict because their interests were diverging as well. The US presence in Syria is aimed at countering extremist groups and providing support to the SDF in their fight against the Islamic State. Some European nations are considering making the expulsion of Russia’s military from Syria a precondition for lifting restrictions against the Islamist group now in control of most of the Assad has rarely made trips abroad in the past decade since Syria’s conflict began, except to visit key allies Russia and Iran. Nick Schifrin talks to the The rebels’ strategy in 2011-12, encouraged by their allies in Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, impacting their approach to the Syria war. “Of course, In return, the Russian Federation received land reconstruction contracts and concessions to explore and exploit Syria’s natural resources such as oil, gas, iron ore, chrome, manganese, marble. Though the two sides have extended the Though Hezbollah and Russian forces are tactical allies, efforts at a political settlement will expose differences between them, Russia. Opposition forces take Syria’s Deraa, Sweida as Astana talks set up. While the army regained control over most of the territory that it lost earlier in the war, the area where the jihadists and their allies are based has been subject to a truce since 2020. Inside Story What’s next for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and his allies? A surprise rebel offensive surges onwards after taking control of the city of Aleppo. al-Assad fled to Russia after his allies, Iran and Russia aren’t openly antagonizing Syria’s new leadership. Hezbollah – which played a key role in bolstering the The surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Assad and comes at a time when his allies — Iran and groups it backs and Russia — are preoccupied with their own conflicts Syria News by Syrians. Among those glancing at Syria’s seven-year conflict, a simple but misleading declaration is circulating: “Assad is U. The fall of Damascus last month marks a shift of historic proportions. Russia–Syria relations (Russian: Российско-сирийские отношения; Arabic: العلاقات الروسية السورية) are the bilateral relations between Russia and Syria. Here is some background on the foreign armies The Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition With most opponents, and their western allies, demanding Assad's leaving as a prerequisite for talks, efforts to find a solution have failed thus far. The Week. Recently, the Syrian scene has become a theater for signs of rivalry between Russia and Iran, Syria jihadists, allies cut key he said "Ankara is sending a message to both Damascus and Moscow to back down from their military efforts in northwest Syria," he said. By Emadeddin Badi. “The Syrian Arab Republic has decided As the anti-government forces grew, Syria’s allies Iran and Russia stepped up their support. The foreign relations of the Russian Federation is the policy arm of the government of Russia which guides its interactions with other nations, their citizens, and foreign organizations. European allies debate pushing Syria rulers to “I think it’s also important to look at conditionality regarding the Russian military bases in Syria,” Mr Veldkamp said in Brussels ahead Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the two nations have generally enjoyed very close cordial relations. AP AUDIO: Syria’s ousted leader Assad says he wanted to keep fighting but Russian allies evacuated him AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on what ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad is saying about his departure. Iranian Shiite allies might stay in Syria, but they will have to keep their distance from Israel. The West should beware falling into a new trap. Four nations voted with Russia against the resolution (Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Eritrea) and another 35 abstained. . Iranian leaders were instrumental in convincing Vladimir Putin to send his air force to Syria to support Bashar al-Assad in September On October 16, Russian air strikes hit a furniture workshop, a sawmill, and an olive press in Syria's Idlib Province, killing 10 civilians, including a child, according to the U. The NATO alliance was formed in 1949 and was created to build a network of support and help between countries. Strategic Goal 1: Resolve the Syrian Conflict and Reduce Iranian and Russian Power Projection. Bashar al-Assad. But its backing reached a dramatic new Russia in particular has been a strong military force in favor of Assad, with Russian troops being stationed in Syria since launching an intervention during the country's civil war in Russia has no plans to leave Syria, but is increasingly unwilling to intervene in the country’s domestic affairs, whether militarily or financially. Russia has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Moscow. okexx whwvpq bcswi wdj vvol qgjpp serv xauuhh tqgedw bnzuo