← Back to Documents
Tab-1-Congressional-Report-006724-2025-Update-on-RUS-Support-for-Syria-and-Iran-HRC1251263.pdf
Path: /Users/duboy/side/case3/example-pdfs/Tab-1-Congressional-Report-006724-2025-Update-on-RUS-Support-for-Syria-and-Iran-HRC1251263.pdf
Title: Shadows of Influence: Russia's Support for Syria and Iran
Description: Delve into the intricate web of political maneuvers as Russia extends its unwavering support to the governments of Syria and Iran, navigating through alliances, controversies, and global repercussions. Witness the geopolitical chess game unfold as military, economic, and diplomatic operations shape a landscape rife with tension and the struggle for dominance.
Status:
finished
Pages: 7
Uploaded:
2026-03-02 09:57
Last Processed: 2026-03-02 10:46
Chunks (8)
UNCLASSIFIED
Updated Report to Congress
Detailing the Support of the Government of Russia
for the Government of Syria and the Government of
Iran
Section 7019(e) of the Department of State, Foreign
O...
context:
This document is an Updated Report to Congress detailing the support of the Government of Russia for the Governments of Syria and Iran.
fact:
Russian President Putin granted asylum to Bashar al-Assad and his family after Assad fled Syria on December 8, 2024.
fact:
Russian authorities have declined to extradite Assad to Syria, despite calls for accountability from the Syrian people and the new Syrian government.
fact:
Russia has worked to maintain its military presence and political and economic influence in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
fact:
Russia sent a high-level delegation to Damascus in January 28, including Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Russia’s Special Envoy to Syria Aleksandr Lavrentiev, to discuss bilateral relationship and access to military facilities.
fact:
President Putin and Syrian leader al-Sharaa discussed similar topics over the phone on February 12.
Al-Shaibani met Russia’s
Permanent Representative to the United Nations April 29 in New York. In diplomatic fora, Russia has highlighted the plight of certain Christian
minority groups, expressing “h...
Russia’s Support to the Former Assad Regime
Moscow maintained a deep partnership with Assad despite human rights
violations. Russia conducted airstrikes against Syrian opposition forces and
civilians...
Before 2011, at
least half of Syria’s defense purchases were from the Russian Federation. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, Russia increased its market share
even further. In September 2015, t...
fact:
Before 2011, at least half of Syria’s defense purchases were from the Russian Federation. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, Russia increased its market share even further.
fact:
In September 2015, the United States sanctioned the official Russian defense export entity, Rosoboronexport, as well as a number of other Russian-owned defense entities such as the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, which was sanctioned in the same year under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA) and put on the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) 231 List of Specified Persons in 2017.
fact:
Russia also deployed its own equipment for use by Russian or Russian-commanded forces in Syria. The Syrian air force almost exclusively used Russian-made aircraft. Similarly, Russian-made equipment long made up the majority of Syria’s ground arsenal.
Page 5 of 7
Iranian forces downed the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 in
January 2020 in Tehran, they used a Russian-made SA-15 missile. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in Februa...
fact:
Russia has increased its longstanding diplomatic, economic, and military sector support to Iran. Iran remains reliant on Russia for access to advanced conventional weapons, particularly surface-to-air missile systems. When Iranian forces downed the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 in January 2020 in Tehran, they used a Russian-made SA-15 missile. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Iran has provided Russia with thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), guided aerial bombs, artillery ammunition, and close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs) for use against Ukraine. Russia, in turn, began to offer Iran an unprecedented level of defense cooperation, including on missiles, electronics, and air defense. Iran seeks to purchase billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars, and Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft. Iran has received several Yak-130 trainer aircraft from Russia since September 2023. In September 2024, the United States confirmed reports that Iran transferred shipments of Fath 360 CRBMs to Russia for the first time. In the summer of 2024, Russian military personnel were trained on the use of Iran’s Project 360 CRBMs by Iranian personnel. In response, the United States alongside the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) sanctioned Iranian and Russian entities and individuals involved in the transfers and announced new restrictions on Iran’s national airline, Iran Air, among other steps. Russia also helps Iran develop and maintain its satellite collection capabilities and other space-based programs. The two countries signed a comprehensive partnership agreement on January 17 to increase cooperation in various fields.
The two countries signed a
comprehensive partnership agreement on January 17 to increase
UNCLASSIFIED Page 6 of 7
cooperation in these areas, notably without a mutual defense clause;
Russian Presi...
fact:
In diplomatic fora, Russia has highlighted the plight of certain Christian minority groups, expressing “hope that Syria will continue to be a homeland for all its citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliation.” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged all parties in Syria to refrain from the use of violence and resolve all governance issues through political efforts. During the March 6-10 violence on the Syrian coast, thousands of Alawites reportedly sheltered at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase. Russia maintains economic influence in Syria through continued deliveries of currency, fuel, and grain. Russia sent several shipments of currency to Syria in early 2025, though news reports indicate Syria plans to print a newly designed currency in the UAE and Germany in lieu of Russia. Russia resumed wheat shipments to Syria on April 20 and began deliveries of diesel and crude oil in March. Due to the Russian military’s reduced presence in Syria, news reports indicate Russia has begun to move a significant amount of military equipment from Syria back to Russia, as well as to its military facilities in Libya. Moscow’s objectives in Syria include ensuring Russia’s long-term military, economic, and political presence; addressing terrorist threats from ISIS and al-Qaida; asserting itself as an essential player in international relations; and thwarting Western regional objectives. Russia’s Support to the Former Assad Regime Moscow maintained a deep partnership with Assad despite human rights violations. Russia conducted airstrikes against Syrian opposition forces and civilians throughout the war and up until their late 2024 advance on Damascus, until it became clear that all regime defense lines had collapsed. From September 2015 and continuing into 2025, the Russian government was directly involved in the Syrian civil war, assisting the Assad regime in its military offensive by providing Russia’s airpower and other material support, including during repeated instances in which the Assad regime used chemical weapons. Since Russia first conducted air strikes in September 2015, Russian military support was crucial in enabling the Assad regime to reassert control over most of Syria. The Russian military and Kremlin-linked paramilitary groups such as the Wagner Group used Syria as a training and testing ground, as well as a showroom for potential arms buyers. Russian actions in Syria fostered instability throughout the region through continued violence within Syria, unprecedented refugee flows, and expansion of Iranian malign influence. Russia used its relationship with the Assad regime and Syria’s permissive environment to project influence and further military and foreign policy objectives in other regions, including Africa. Syria has been one of Moscow’s arms sales clients since the 1970s, when the Soviet Union acquired access to its naval base at Tartus. Before 2011, at least half of Syria’s defense purchases were from the Russian Federation.
The EU, UK, and United States retained these sanctions — but Russia has not. Russia also attended trilateral China-Iran-Russia talks in March and April to
discuss Iran’s nuclear program, often with th...
Observers
speculated Russia has looked to Iran for help evading Western sanctions
imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. UNCLASSIFIED
fact:
Observers speculated Russia has looked to Iran for help evading Western sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.