Russian Official Proposes Citizenship for "Fallen Ally" Bashar al-Assad

Alexei Zhuravlev, deputy chairman of the State Duma’s  defense committee, has called for granting Russian citizenship to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has reportedly sought asylum in Russia.

Zhuravlev argued that Russia should extend citizenship to Assad, citing the country’s “humane treatment of its allies, even those who have been defeated.” This was reported by Moscow Times on December 9.

“Russia treats all its allies humanely, even the fallen ones, which is a stark contrast to the US, which quickly discards its former friends. If Yanukovych was granted Russian citizenship, why not Assad, who, despite the current negative sentiment toward him, has done much for Russia?” stated Zhuravlev.

Earlier, it was reported that Assad’s family purchased at least 19 apartments in Moscow’s “Moscow-City” complex, valued at $40 million. The properties were acquired through offshore companies and are located in high-end buildings.

Zhuravlev’s comments reflect a pattern of political figures who have sought refuge in Russia, including former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, exiled after the 2014 Euromaidan protests, and other former leaders from Kyrgyzstan and Yugoslavia.

On December 8, Syrian opposition forces declared the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad after capturing Damascus, bringing an end to more than five decades of authoritarian rule under the Assad dynasty.