Putin Has Painted Russia Into a Syrian Corner
The battle for Idlib is the most severe test of Moscow’s effort to be all things to all protagonists in Syria.
A man in a jam.
Photographer: Alexey Nikolsky/AFP
Russia has been unusually circumspect as a crisis in northern Syria simultaneously threatens to undermine its relations with Turkey and calls into question its support for Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship in Damascus. The Russian air force has been actively supporting the regime offensive that has displaced hundreds of thousands in Idlib, in northwestern Syria. Turkey, which supports the Syrian opposition to Assad, has been striking at regime targets in Idlib.
Moscow is the Syrian regime’s main backer, and is committed to helping Assad reassert control over the country. On the other hand, Turkey is a major trading partner for Russia, over and above the $2.5 billion sale of S-400 air-defense systems.