Putin: Assad Fall Not a "Defeat" for Russia

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia does not "defeat" itself when former Syrian leader Bashar Assad falls from grace. Speaking at his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow, Putin claimed Moscow had mostly succeeded in keeping Syria from turning into a terrorist base. Earlier this month, Assad left for Russia following an unexpected militant advance ending the five-decade dominance of the Assad family.

Putin discounted assertions of a Russian setback, stressing Moscow's 2015 intervention that turned the tide in Assad's advantage during Syria's civil war. "We arrived in Syria ten years ago to prevent the formation of a terrorist enclave akin to what exists in Afghanistan. We have overall reached our target, he remarked. Putin reiterated intentions to meet Assad shortly even though he has not yet visited Moscow.

Now Russia is mostly concerned with safeguarding its military interests in Syria, especially the Tartus naval station and Hmeimim air base—its only military bases outside of former Soviet Union. For Moscow's activities in the Middle East and Africa, these facilities have been absolutely vital. Putin pointed out substantial regional support for Russia keeping some bases. He also disclosed that Russia had signaled continuous geopolitical maneuvering in the area by evacuating 4,000 Iranian soldiers from Syria at Tehran's demand.