‘The Invisible Man’: Exiled Ex-President of Syria Finds a Gilded Life in Moscow Watched by Allies and Enemies

The icy winds of Moscow offer little warmth for exiled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose sudden downfall on December 8 sent shockwaves through the Middle East. Once the unchallenged ruler of Syria, Mr. Assad now navigates the corridors of his gilded exile under the watchful eyes of both allies and enemies.So, what does life look like for a man once feared and now reduced to a guest of the Kremlin? “There are no photos, no recordings — just official statements that could’ve been written by the Russians,” an expert on the Arab Middle East, James Bowden, tells The New York Sun. “Right now, he’s basically the Invisible Man.”Secret Planning Long before Syria’s fall to rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Mr. Assad started getting his affairs and possible Russian residency in place. Sources tell the Sun that the Syrian ruler funneled vast sums of money into Russia via members of his inner circle, establishing an escape route long before opposition forces overran Syria. Documents compiled by the Financial Times show that between 2018 and 2019, more than $250 million in cash — transported on over 20 flights — made its way to Moscow, even as Mr. Assad remained deeply indebted to the Kremlin as his country teetered on economic collapse.A Christian Syrian reformist, Ayman Abdel Nour, who defected from the Assad government, tells the Sun that there was a “second plane” that departed Damascus as it was falling. The aircraft “carried key figures such as the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff, intelligence leaders, Army leaders, and those responsible for managing finances.”Mr. Assad’s extended family, more than four years ago, snapped up at least 19 luxury apartments inside Moscow City’s highest twin skyscrapers, that also serves as a home base for the nation’s wealthiest and most powerful. The Assad clan are said to have spent more than $30 million in cash on the purchases. At some point around May 2022, Mr. Assad’s cousin Iyad Makhlouf, the second richest family in the Syrian dynasty, set up a real estate firm in Moscow, solidifying the family’s presence. More than just financial investments, these properties granted the extended dictatorship family a coveted place among Russia’s powerful — ensuring that Moscow would be more than just a refuge if the time came.As civil war ravaged the country, the Assad family’s fortune ballooned to an estimated $2 billion, according to the U.S. State Department, hidden across a web of offshore accounts, shell companies, and international real estate holdings. Their wealth spans multiple tax havens and includes high-value properties in cities like London and Moscow, carefully shielded from scrutiny. Assad Family NowFour months into their life in exile, the Assad family is — mostly — lying low in luxury. Mr. Assad’s wife, Asma, and the two youngest of their adult children — daughter Zein, 22, and son Karim, 21 — are said to have fled Syria two days before their father’s departure, reuniting in Moscow with the eldest son, Hafez, 24. He was already in Russia and defended his PhD thesis on mathematics at Moscow State University just days before Syria’s collapse. The Assad family escape coincided with reports that rebels had uncovered secret tunnels beneath a family mansion in Damascus, which was possibly used as an escape route. Hafez, the eldest son, has since emerged as the family’s spokesperson, attempting to control the narrative of their last days in Damascus.Hafez uses the X platform to portray his father as a leader abandoned by the army yet determined to stay and fight — contradicting evidence that Mr. Assad fled without informing those closest to him. “His primary narrative is that his father did not flee but was forced to leave by the Russians, who took him to Moscow for protection. This claim puts him in a controversial position,” Mr. Nour noted. Hafez, in a February selfie video filmed in the affluent Moscow City streets and viewed by the Sun, confirmed his Telegram and X account. Last month, he vowed that his father would send “scholarship” funds to Syrian officers and children in Syria days after mass fighting broke out between the Alawites, the Assad minority sect, and the dominant Sunni rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. “The exact whereabouts and activities of the other children are largely unknown,” Mr. Nour said. “There are rumors that the daughter was studying museum-related studies in Abu Dhabi, but it is believed that most of the family is now in Moscow living in or around the very expensive high-rise apartments.”All three Assad children are believed to be based in the Russian capital, according to Mr. Nour, yet it is unclear whether they will reside in private opulence or under Kremlin protection in a government safe house. This week, Hafez dismissed rumors that his Uncle, Rifaat Suleiman al-Assad, died. He went on to characterize him as one who “spends his life in righteousness, piety and service to his country,” accompanied by a “rare” image of him in military fatigues from the “family archive.”The ousted First Lady, Asma Assad, meanwhile, continues to battle an aggressive form of leukemia. She is reportedly seeking treatment in isolation at a top Moscow facility. Like his wife, Mr. Assad has not been seen publicly since the fall, and a source tells the Sun that the family’s activities are considered a forbidden topic by the Kremlin-controlled state press. Russian security agencies have presumably warned the deposed Syrian leader and his family to stay largely out of sight due to assassination risks, particularly from jihadist militants who once fought against his regime. With Central Asian nationals and former Soviet blocs able to enter Russia visa-free — some of whom fought for extremist groups in Syria — Moscow may not be as safe a haven as the tyrant once hoped.Like other exiled leaders before him, such as Ukraine’s Viktor Yanukovych who fled amid the 2014 Maiden Revolution, Mr. Assad must now navigate life in the shadows; at least for now. Exiled rulers typically fade into obscurity or leverage their wealth to secure influence, as long as they don’t overstep. “Financially, Bashar has enough resources to sustain a lifetime in hiding, as assets are held under different names to avoid confiscation. That is why he needs all his key circle around him,” Mr. Nour said. Once reliant on Mr. Putin to stay in power, Mr. Assad has been sidelined in Moscow. The Russian leader has not met with his former ally, and sources say no meeting is planned — signaling that the Kremlin sees little benefit in a public association that could strain ties with Syria’s emerging leadership and risk its military presence there.Mr. Nour, however, observes that the former dictator still holds some cards. “Bashar remains a strategic asset for Russia, potentially useful in mobilizing loyalist factions,” Mr. Nour said. “His knowledge of weapons caches and key contacts makes him a potential threat to Syria’s new administration.”What Putin Now Wants From Syria President Putin, despite the blow to his operations in the Middle East, has not given up the diplomatic dance with Damascus. Earlier this year, Syria’s interim government canceled its lease with the Russian firm Stroytransgaz, which had controlled the strategic Tartus port since 2019. Since Assad’s ouster, no Russian military vessels have been seen there — a shift that undermines Moscow’s Mediterranean presence and hampers its operations in Africa.Yet all is not lost between the two countries. “Russia is actively engaging with Syria’s new government to secure its interests. Delegations have been sent, and discussions are ongoing,” Mr. Nour said. “The Syrian government’s position on Russia is pragmatic; despite the destruction caused during the war, they are willing to cooperate in order to secure essential resources like wheat and oil.”Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed Sharaa, has emphasized Syria’s continued “strategic interests” with Russia, stressing the importance of maintaining a strong relationship and avoiding any Russian exit that could harm bilateral ties.Mr. Nour explained that Russia has provided Syria with oil shipments, and “an additional shipment is expected for wheat.”“The (new Syrian) government prioritizes survival over geopolitical loyalties, relying on Russia to bypass U.S. sanctions,” Mr. Nour continued. “Syria’s regime is willing to renew Russian military base contracts to maintain Russian support and prevent economic collapse. But the government is not the people of Syria. The people of Syria hate what Russia has done through this war.” There is, however, another key bargaining chip that both sides have to play. Mr. Sharaa has reportedly requested Moscow hand over Mr. Assad. That has not happened, yet experts won’t rule it out. “Assad is certainly not being paraded around like a trophy,” Mr. Bowden conjectured. “That tells me Putin might be willing to part with him more easily if the deal is right.”

‘The Invisible Man’: Exiled Ex-President of Syria Finds a Gilded Life in Moscow Watched by Allies and Enemies

More from the New York Sun

Florida Freeze Prompts Roundup of Cold-Stunned Iguanas as Thousands Fall From Trees

The 50,000 Dow

The Dow 50,000 Prosperity Rocket Ship

Luigi Mangione’s Jeopardy

Will the Navy End Iran’s Ability To Export Oil?

Algebra, English, and Activism: Teachers at Middle and High School Instruct Students How To Protest ICE

Ex-CNN Star Ashleigh Banfield, Savannah Guthrie’s Former Coworker, Doubles Down on Her Reporting About Brother-in-Law

Economical Horror Indie ‘The Arborist’ Outshines Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ in Many Respects