Syria’s political stage has come alive again — the country’s interim president Ahmad al-Shar’a paid an official visit to Moscow on October 15. According to Reuters, his trip could bring new dimensions to the relationship between Moscow and Damascus.
During the meeting, al-Shar’a assured Vladimir Putin that all agreements signed by the former Syrian regime would remain in force and that Russia’s military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim would not be subject to withdrawal. These two bases are considered strategic strongholds for Russia in the Middle East and key logistical hubs for its operations in Africa.
However, sources revealed that behind closed doors, al-Shar’a requested the extradition of dictator Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia after being overthrown in 2024. Syria has already issued an official arrest warrant for him. The Kremlin declined to comment, stating: “We have nothing to announce in this context.”
Assad was once Moscow’s closest ally. Russia helped him remain in power during the civil war that began in 2011. In December 2024, Moscow granted him asylum on the condition that he withdraw from political activity.
The Assad family now resides in Moscow City, reportedly owning 18 apartments, according to Die Zeit. It is said they transferred at least $250 million in cash from Syria to Russian banks. Bashar’s wife Asma and their children — Hafez, Zein, and Karim — also live in Russia. Hafez graduated from Moscow State University and defended his dissertation shortly before his father’s ousting.
Bashar’s brother Maher al-Assad also lives in Moscow. He previously commanded the Syrian Army’s elite 4th Armored Division and later became known as the head of the state-run narcotics cartel producing and distributing the drug Captagon.
Die Zeit reports that Bashar spends most of his time playing video games, while Maher resides at the Four Seasons Hotel, spending his days smoking hookah and drinking.
According to The New York Times, after Assad’s regime collapsed, about 1,200 former Syrian officers — mostly from the Alawite minority — fled to Russia. Among them are Defense Minister Ali Ayoub, his deputy Ali Abbas, and military intelligence chief Kamal al-Hassan.
These figures are accused of war crimes, including city bombardments and the use of chemical weapons. Former heads of Syria’s National Security Bureau, Ali Mamlouk and Kifo Malham, also reside in Russia.
Maher Assad and other officers are believed responsible for the 2012 Daraa massacre, in which more than 700 civilians were killed in five days.
Another well-known figure now in Moscow is Suhail al-Hassan, who commanded Assad’s special forces and was implicated in chemical attacks on Idlib and Aleppo.
Experts say Russia is now seeking to rebuild relations with Syria’s new leadership, but the legacy of Assad’s regime remains a heavy political burden for the country’s future.
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