Media: After Assad, Russia sees surge of Syrian officials

Following former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s flight to Russia, a large number of former Syrian officials and security personnel have sought asylum in the country.

According to data from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, reviewed by Verstka, 3,196 Syrians applied for temporary asylum in 2025—a record high in 15 years, more than four times the number in 2024 and 80% higher than at the peak of Syria’s civil war in 2013.

The Civil Assistance Committee noted that Assad and his family were followed by members of his clan who were particularly close to him, along with high-ranking officials and security personnel from the ousted regime.

The committee also highlighted that former employees of Syrian diplomatic missions who did not return to Syria after the change of power remained in Russia and could have submitted asylum requests.

Earlier reports from The New York Times indicated that after Assad’s overthrow, more than 1,200 Syrian security personnel attempted to board Russian flights to Moscow. Those who succeeded submitted applications for temporary asylum upon arrival. They were accommodated in dormitories with three to four occupants per room and reportedly complained about the quality of food and strict meal schedules.

Assad resigned as president and left Syria on December 8, 2024, ahead of advancing rebel forces, with the capital, Damascus, falling without resistance. Russia granted him asylum. 

He initially settled in Moscow’s elite Moscow City district, where his relatives had purchased at least 19 luxury apartments worth a combined total of $40 million between 2013 and 2019. He later relocated to Rublevka, Moscow's prestigious neighbourhood, and continues to be guarded by Russian security services. Reports indicate that he has begun learning Russian and attending ophthalmology classes, aiming to return to medical practice.

The new Syrian authorities have requested Assad’s extradition from Russia, but President Vladimir Putin has refused to comply.

Al-Assad’s presidency, which began after the death of his father Hafez in 2000, saw one of the most devastating wars of the 21st century.

The conflict started in 2011 as Syrians took to the streets to protest against the government as part of the “Arab Spring” pro-democracy uprisings that swept the Middle East that year.

By Sabina Mammadli