Syrian collapse: Russian retreat and Assad's hidden escape
Russian authorities convinced Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad that he would not win the war and should evacuate, Bloomberg reported. Russian special services facilitated a safe escape to Moscow.
According to Bloomberg, when the rebellion in Syria began its offensive, the Russians attacked armed groups and tried to repel them. However, because the regime's forces "did not put up much resistance," and the rebels took over more cities, Moscow concluded that it was unable to protect Assad.
Two Bloomberg sources indicated that Assad's escape was organized by Russian intelligence officers. The dictator was evacuated through one of the Russian airbases in Syria. According to one source, the transponder on the plane carrying Assad was turned off.
Putin demands explanations
A source close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg that Vladimir Putin demanded explanations as to why Russian intelligence did not notice the growing threat from the rebels until it was too late.
Assad was supposed to arrive in Russia with his family. The Kremlin reported that Vladimir Putin personally decided to grant them asylum. So far, the Russian leader has not commented on the downfall of the regime in Syria.
The Syrian rebellion's offensive began at the end of November. In less than two weeks, the rebels reached Damascus without significant problems. Currently, the country is divided into areas controlled by different groups. The strongest group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which in the past had ties to the Syrian Al-Qaeda, has established a temporary government in Damascus.
