WHAT ROLE DOES RUSSIA PLAY IN SYRIA?

Russia supports the Syrian regime headed by Bashir Al-Assad, and in exchange for it has a naval base in Latakia; It is the only Russian base in the Mediterranean and for this reason it is important. Russia also has the use of the Himeimin air base.

However, Russian forces in Syria remain inactive when Israeli aircraft attack targets in Syria; the last of this has been to bomb the Damascus airport last weekend. Two Syrian soldiers died during the attack.

Israel justifies these bombings to inflict casualties on Hizbullah forces located on Syrian territory, but this is a violation of Syrian territorial sovereignty and it is difficult to understand why Russia accepts these Israeli bombings.

The only explanation that could be given points to compromises made secretly between Moscow and Tel-Aviv not to interfere in Israeli attacks against fighters from the Lebanese religious party. But in such a case, Russia does not pay the necessary attention to the security of its Syrian ally. This would be a Moscow doubleheader; Defend Al-Assad but not oppose the Jewish state's attacks on Syria.