December, Assad fled to Moscow

All these factors resulted in Assad’s hold on power weakening, leading to the Türkiye-backed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) making considerable territorial gains, capturing Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. By 7 December, rebel forces had encircled Damascus. On 8 December, Assad fled to Moscow, marking the end of his 24-year-long rule. Russia’s approach to these recent developments has been pragmatic, with Moscow reaching out to the HTS in hopes of retaining its interests in the region. Russia’s commitment to the Assad regime remained until its last days, with Russian forces in Khmeimim working with regime forces to thwart the terrorist advance. However, Moscow’s stance shifted following 8 December. The Syrian embassy in Moscow opened under a new flag, and Russian state media began referring to the rebels as “armed opposition” rather than a “terrorist group”. Further, Russian officials were in contact with the HTS, which guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in the country. According to the Emirati newspaper The National, talks between Russia and the new Syrian administration are in their early stages, and the Russian military has good relations with the new administration, with no provocations reported or demands for the extradition of Assad. สล็อตเว็บตรง