Overview
- A year after his reported exfiltration to Russia, Bashar al-Assad has made no public appearances and is described as living under close surveillance.
- Reporting says he resides in a luxury Moskva-City apartment with heavy security and restricted movement.
- According to accounts cited by Libération, the Kremlin requires him to avoid political activity and refrain from speaking to the media.
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims he was the target of a suspected poisoning attempt in late September, a report that has not been independently verified.
- Media and analysts continue to discuss possible extradition scenarios and report he moved roughly $250 million into Russia, while his status weighs on a reset in Russia’s ties with the new authorities in Damascus.