Between 2015 and 2021, Syria became a testing ground for Vladimir Putin — for showcasing weapons, transforming the Russian military, and asserting global influence. While the world’s attention was focused on ISIS and the humanitarian catastrophe, Russia — under the pretext of fighting terrorism — launched one of the most significant military campaigns in its modern history.
In September 2015, Russian armed forces officially entered the Syrian civil war on the side of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Putin portrayed himself as the defender of a sovereign state against external aggression and Islamic extremism. In reality, it was a geopolitical calculation: Moscow did not want to lose its key ally in the Middle East, its military base in Tartus, or the chance to show the West that Russia was once again a power to reckon with.
Russia’s intervention had an immediate impact. Through airstrikes, military advisors, and arms supplies, Assad’s regime managed to halt the advance of opposition forces and regain control over key parts of the country. Although the stated goal was to eliminate terrorist groups, most strikes targeted anti-Assad opposition, including civilian areas. The result: thousands of casualties, destroyed hospitals and schools — and Putin’s rising status as a protector of authoritarian regimes.
Syria became the showcase of a renewed Russian military. The deployment of advanced weaponry, precision-guided missiles, Su-34 fighter jets, and S-400 air defense systems demonstrated that Russia’s military had undergone major reforms. The Kremlin tested its logistics, command structures, and cooperation with other countries — especially Iran and Turkey.
The Syrian mission also earned Russia diplomatic points. Moscow presented itself as a peacemaker, even as it escalated the conflict. The West, exhausted from its own Middle East interventions, retreated. Putin filled the power vacuum that once belonged to the United States. Moreover, Russia used Syria as a training ground for information warfare, spreading disinformation, justifying attacks on civilians, and undermining trust in international institutions.
Militarily and politically, the Syrian intervention was a success for the Kremlin. Putin confirmed he could use force without serious consequences from the international community. He gained prestige among authoritarian regimes and showed the Russian public that their country had returned to the world stage.
At the same time, a new doctrine was taking shape in Syria: war as diplomacy, propaganda as strategy, and the military as an export commodity. All of these elements would later be seen in Ukraine and beyond.
In the next episode, we’ll focus on the attack on democracy — Russian disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and attempts to influence elections worldwide. How did the Kremlin become a digital battlefield? And why did Russian interference reach even the world’s strongest democracies?
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