London says Russia’s ‘priority’ over Ukraine war ‘degraded’ its ability to support Assad

He emphasizes that Moscow’s “main objective” now is to agree with the new authorities on the maintenance of its military bases.

Dec. 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Kingdom Intelligence services have stated this Friday that the “priority” given by Russia to the invasion of Ukraine “probably degraded” its ability to keep Bashar al Assad in power, who fled the country on December 8 in the face of the dazzling advances by jihadists and rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS).

Thus, they said that Moscow “considers the conflict in Ukraine as its main concern” and added that this priority “probably degraded Russia’s ability to keep the Al Assad regime in power,” according to a statement published by the Ministry of Defense. British through his account on the social network X.

In this sense, they have stressed that the fall of the regime in Syria “increases the security risk” of Russia’s military bases in the country and has stated that keeping them under its control is “Moscow’s main objective” regarding the new ones. authorities, headed by Mohamed al Bashir.

“The collapse of the Al Assad regime has almost certainly increased the risk to the security of these assets,” they said, referring to the naval base in Tartus and the air base in Latakia, which give “strategic access” to Moscow. to the Middle East and the Mediterranean Sea.

In this way, they have stressed that these bases “support the objectives” of the Russian authorities in Africa and “allow the projection of their military power”, before indicating that Moscow is likely to consider the fall of Al Assad as something “negative for its strategic regional interests and its image as a guarantor of security”.

“In the short term, Russia will likely seek to repair its reputation as a reliable partner and will engage diplomatically with all relevant actors involved, in an effort to obtain security guarantees for its military bases,” the British Intelligence services have added.

The offensive in Syria, launched on November 27 from the province of Idlib, allowed jihadists and rebels to take the capital and put an end to the regime of the Al Assad family, in power since 1971 – first with Hafez al Assad (1971-2000). ) and later with his son, Bashar–, in the face of a constant withdrawal of government troops, backed by Russia and Iran.