On January 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the issue of prosecuting former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had not been considered for a long time.
Lavrov clarified that Russia’s partners are fully aware of how Assad and his family arrived in the Russian Federation in December 2024. He emphasized that Assad was admitted to Russia solely on humanitarian grounds due to being in grave danger, and that currently he holds no influence over Syria or participates in the country’s affairs.
In a separate development, relations between Moscow and Damascus have been strained by recent political changes. Following the change of power in Syria, Russia maintained its strategic foothold but faces intensifying competition with Washington for the role of mediator in the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to questions about Assad’s potential extradition to Syria on January 28.
According to reports, in December 2024, after negotiations with opposition groups, Assad resigned as head of state and left Syria, instructing a peaceful transfer of power. The National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces of Syria has announced work on forming a transitional authority.
