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

‘There are no photos, no recordings — just official statements that could’ve been written by the Russians.’

Salah Malkawi/ Getty Images, file
President Assad and his wife Asma during a visit to Moscow's State Institute for Foreign Relations on January 25, 2005. Salah Malkawi/ Getty Images, file

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.

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