NYT: Fallen Syrian dictator Assad and family lead luxury life in Moscow

Syria’s deposed president, Bashar al-Assad and members of his family are living in luxury in exile in Russia, according to a detailed investigation by The New York Times.

The report says the Assads fled to Moscow after the fall of their regime last year, travelling by private jet and moving under the protection of Russian security services.

Since then, they are said to have stayed in some of the capital’s most exclusive properties, including high-end hotel apartments, a penthouse in a landmark skyscraper and later a villa in an elite suburb popular with Russia’s political and business figures.

Witnesses cited by the newspaper say al-Assad has been seen dining in upmarket restaurants frequented by senior Russian officials, while his brother Maher, a former military commander accused of overseeing brutal crackdowns during the war, has also been spotted in Moscow’s business district.

The investigation also points to signs of continued wealth among the family’s younger generation. Social media posts and accounts from acquaintances describe expensive celebrations in Moscow and Dubai, luxury shopping and access to prestigious universities abroad.

By contrast, the report says some former aides and officials who fled with the Assads were left without financial support, highlighting sharp contrasts within the exiled elite.

By Aghakazim Guliyev