Assad's regime fall in Syria could deal a blow to Putin, expert says
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Getty Images)
Bashar al-Assad’s regime fall in Syria could be a painful blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In particular, he will lose the ability to influence the price of oil, stated political expert Taras Zahorodnii in a comment for RBC-Ukraine’s YouTube channel.
According to him, if Assad is defeated, Qatar could build a gas pipeline through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Türkiye to Europe, reducing European dependence on Russian gas.
Zahorodnii added that a regime change in Syria would lead to Russia losing its only naval base in the Mediterranean, located in Tartus, a legacy of the Soviet era.
“On a personal level, Putin fought for Assad to show everyone that leaders cannot be replaced,” the expert noted.
He also emphasized that if Assad falls, Russia will lose an important tool for exerting influence in the Middle East.
“Since the Soviet Union, they always wanted to be players in the Middle East. Why? Instability in the region raises oil prices and profits. Without instability, revenues dropped, which was bad for the USSR. It's the same with Russia,” Zahorodnii explained.
The expert stressed that while Russia does not want to "exit" Syria, it lacks the resources to maintain its presence there.
“They now have problems with Georgia, problems in Syria, and the war in Ukraine. There are too many ‘black swans’ and too few resources to manage them,” the expert added.
War in Syria
Clashes between rebels and Assad’s regime, supported by Russia and Iran, resumed last week in Syria.
According to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, Russian soldiers withdrew from the Syrian city of Hama and are fleeing Damascus.
For more details on the situation in Syria, see the material by RBC-Ukraine.
