Objectives of the Russian Federation
Since the times of the Russian czars, there have been ambitions to have a presence in the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. During the Lebanese Civil War between Christians and Druze Muslims in the mid-nineteenth century, the Russian czar sent a naval campaign to Lebanon to defend the Orthodox Christians. It is not surprising that the Patriarch in Russia described the Russian campaign in Syria as if he were a partner in the aggression against Syria.
During the Soviet Union era, strong relations were established between the Soviet Union, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. The relations between the Syrian people and the Soviet peoples grew. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia faced major challenges and experienced significant problems until stability was achieved only after President Putin took office. He had grand ambitions, rebuilt the state, developed its economy, preserved its military strength, and aspired for Russia to regain its international position that it held during the Soviet era.
Commencing the move in the Crimean Peninsula, Russia provoked Western countries, but it did not heed their demands. In the second phase of its program to extend its influence in the Middle East, Russia embraced the tyrant Bashar al-Assad, providing significant economic and military assistance. Despite Bashar al-Assad’s failure to achieve victory over the Syrian people in approximately five years of fighting, he decided to deploy his air, naval, and ground forces to occupy parts of Syria. Russia began constructing a major airbase and naval base, sending ground forces to central Syria. Additionally, it designated the areas where its army would remain, including the coastal region, Idlib, and the northern countryside of Hama. Thus, Russia and Iran divided Syria, with Iran overseeing the area from Homs to the south, and the region we mentioned falling under Russian influence. Consequently, Syria is geographically divided, and the unity of the Syrians is dismantled.
To further disintegrate Syria, the Russians provided military assistance to a group of separatist Kurds, enabling them to seize control of the Syrian Jazeera region, extending to the north of Aleppo.
Dear fellow citizens,
I appeal to you to unify your strengths and efforts, as unity plays a crucial role in reclaiming our occupied homeland. Encourage our Arab brothers to provide assistance in both military and political aspects. Some major countries are also inclined to help you, and your continued division will not achieve the victory and freedom our people hope for. Wherever we are, we must all work diligently and unitedly to save the unity of our people and the unity of our nation.
I implore our sympathetic Arab brothers, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to aid the Syrian people through all possible means, including arms and equipment. They should seek to engage with major nations to take an international and Arab stance against Russian intervention, working earnestly to unify the Syrian opposition.
I pray that God helps our people and our nation, and may peace prevail.
