Russia cites humanitarian reasons for hosting Bashar al-Assad

The Russian government has confirmed that its decision to host former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family was based solely on humanitarian grounds. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the move was prompted by the circumstances following the collapse of the previous regime in Syria and the perceived threats facing the Assad family.

Zakharova addressed questions regarding the possibility of extraditing Assad to the new Syrian authorities, following his death sentence by a Syrian court. She emphasized that the decision was made based on ‘purely humanitarian criteria’ and denied any political motivation behind the hosting.

Assad fled to Russia in December 2024 after opposition forces entered Damascus, ending his two-decade rule. The situation remains a sensitive issue as Russia attempts to maintain functional relations with the new Syrian authorities, despite having been a primary military ally of the Assad regime since 2015.