In a revealing television interview on Al-Ikhbariya, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, disclosed that his ascent to power in Damascus was facilitated through secret negotiations with Moscow. The former Al-Qaeda affiliate leader, who now heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), detailed how his forces’ swift advance through Syria was made possible by an understanding with Russian authorities.
The military campaign began on November 27 last year when HTS forces launched an offensive in Aleppo, northern Syria. The operation proceeded with minimal resistance, allowing Sharaa’s forces to rapidly advance southward through Hama. It was during this phase that clandestine talks with Russian officials commenced, according to Sharaa’s account.
The arrangement with Russia became evident as HTS forces moved toward Homs, with Russian forces notably abstaining from engagement. The offensive culminated in the capture of Damascus on December 8, following Bashar al-Assad’s departure to Russia. Sharaa emphasized that his forces deliberately avoided confrontation with Russia’s Hmeimim airbase near Jableh, expressing commitment to maintaining positive relations with Moscow.
“Russia’s position as a global power and Security Council member, combined with its historical ties to Syria, necessitates careful preservation and development of our relationship,” Sharaa stated during the interview.
Reports from Reuters in February indicated that Israel had been urging the United States to permit continued Russian presence at both the Hmeimim airbase and the naval facility in Tartus. This diplomatic effort was reportedly part of Israel’s strategy to maintain Syria in a weakened state.
Currently, Syria is engaged in security negotiations with Israel, which has occupied portions of southwestern Syria since Sharaa’s rise to power. The new Syrian leadership is calling for Israel to honor the 1974 disengagement agreement and withdraw to pre-December 8 positions. Sharaa’s statements suggest a tacit acceptance of Israeli control over the Golan Heights, marking a significant departure from the policies of previous Syrian leaders Hafez and Bashar al-Assad.
Israeli military actions in Syria intensified immediately after Assad’s fall, with unprecedented airstrikes targeting Syrian military infrastructure, particularly as the country’s Russian-made air defenses were rendered ineffective. However, Israeli-Russian cooperation predated these events, as noted by Professor Chen Kerchner of Ariel University, who described a “friendship balancing” dynamic between the two nations despite their opposing positions in the Syrian conflict since 2015.
A former Syrian Army officer, speaking to The Cradle, alleged that Russian forces had consistently prevented Syria from utilizing its air defense systems against Israeli aircraft even before Assad’s overthrow, stating, “Russian betrayed us long before December 8.”
The complex relationship between Russia and Israel was further illuminated by President Vladimir Putin’s recent explanation for Russia’s non-intervention in Israel’s June attack on Iran, citing the presence of “almost two million Russian-speaking people” in Israel. This demographic connection, combined with the significant influence of Jewish Russian oligarchs in post-Soviet Russia, has contributed to the intricate diplomatic dynamics in the region.