Assad's fate reminds Putin of Gaddafi's end

1. Gas export projects through Syria and Turkey to Europe will be revived. For Erdoğan, this is a matter of interest, while for Russia, it represents the loss of hopes for regaining a monopoly in the EU market.

2. The loss of its last base in the Mediterranean - Tartus, a presence Russia has maintained since Soviet times.

3. The loss of another lever of influence in the Middle East, a region Russia has been interested in since the USSR. More instability in the Middle East means higher oil prices.

4. The removal of Assad, whom Putin had a personal stake in defending. He fiercely protected him to show the world that dictators should not be overthrown. This happened right after Yanukovych's flight and the tragic fate of Gaddafi, which was filmed in all its natural and unnatural details, leaving a particularly strong impression on Putin, as he rightly believes this grim story could happen to him as well.

Source

About the author. Taras Zahorodniy, managing partner of the National Anti-Crisis group.

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