Syria says Russia chose not to defend Bashar Assad after talks with rebels

Representatives of Syria’s transitional authorities have said that rebel forces deliberately convinced Russia not to intervene in defence of former president Bashar Assad, contributing to the collapse of his rule. 

Speaking to Al Majalla magazine, Syrian Foreign Minister of the transitional government, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, said that by 2024, the opposition faced a decisive strategic moment. According to him, Iran’s influence over Assad had significantly weakened, limiting Tehran’s ability to provide effective support, while Russia remained the most influential external power on the ground.

Al-Shibani said the opposition engaged in direct talks with senior Russian officials. He described one conversation as being conducted at such a high level that it felt “as if I were speaking directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although he did not disclose the name of the interlocutor.

The minister stressed that the opposition reassured Moscow that the overthrow of Assad would not automatically lead to the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria. He said this message was taken seriously by the Russian side.

According to al-Shibani, Russia’s subsequent pullback from Damascus became a turning point, leading to the rapid disintegration of Assad’s remaining support base. The withdrawal, he said, sent a clear signal that opposition forces were close to taking control.

Commenting on Russia’s military facilities at the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base, al-Shibani said their future would depend on whether they served Syria’s national interests. He added that in their current form, the bases “serve no real purpose” and would not be maintained merely “as decoration”.

By Aghakazim Guliyev