Episode Details

1800 KREMLIN
Russia Intervenes In Syrian Conflict
Anna Borshchevskaya, author of Putin's War in Syria: Russian Foreign Policy and the Price of America's Absence, analyzes the Russian military intervention in Syria, highlighting how Vladimir Putin capitalized on American diplomatic hesitation. By leveraging lessons learned from Soviet failures in Afghanistan and Chechnya, Russiamaintained a light ground footprint. The Kremlin conducted a heavy aerial campaign to prop up the Assad regime. Putin expertly balanced regional diplomacy with competing actors, positioning Russia as an influential mediator and establishing a permanent, strategic presence in the Middle East. (2)