Colonel Alexander Zhilin, Russian army military expert of the Russian Federation, explains in layman’s terms Russia’s national interests in supporting Assad.
Colonel Alexander Zhilin, Russian army military expert of the Russian Federation, explains in layman’s terms Russia’s national interests in supporting Assad.
A number of Russians, and Westerners as well, have some misunderstandings about Russia’s involvement.
Zhilin explains why this is not an optional fight for Russia. In the event that Syria fell, it would free up ISIS fighters for a renewed campaign in Chechnya, Dagestan and east of the Caspian as well, pushing north from Afghanistan into former Soviet central Asia.
Recall that ISIS is a re-branding and broadening of the same Saudi (et al) backed network of ‘foreign legionary’ soldiers which previously was called Al Qaeda and the Maktab al-Khidamat network which preceded it.