For many years, Russia has been attempting to rebuild its affect within the Middle East. But after the speedy collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the Kremlin is scrambling to salvage no matter it might probably.
President Vladimir V. Putin sought to spin occasions in Syria as a hit for Russia, which supplied essential navy help for President Bashar al-Assad throughout the nation’s lengthy and brutal civil warfare, and obtained two essential navy bases in return.
“We got here to Syria 10 years in the past to forestall the creation of a terrorist enclave there,” he informed a marathon information convention on Thursday. “We have achieved that objective, by and enormous.”
The actuality of Russia’s state of affairs is kind of completely different from Mr. Putin’s rosy evaluation, based on navy consultants, political analysts and a U.S. authorities official. If the insurgent factions that at the moment are main Syria resolve to expel the Russian forces from the 2 bases, Moscow might be left with out the assets or the true property to keep up a big navy presence within the area, they stated.
One veteran Russian navy analyst, talking anonymously out of concern for the security of his family members nonetheless in Russia, referred to as Moscow’s present maneuvering “diplomatic dancing” that didn’t comport with actuality.
