Strategic Assessment

Ten months have passed since Russia surprised the world with its military intervention in Syria and its deployment of a substantial military force beyond the borders of the former Soviet Union. As such, enough time has elapsed since Russia launched its campaign to save the Assad regime to examine the campaign’s successes and failures. This article analyzes the objectives of the Russian campaign and its military, diplomatic, and international aspects, discusses the balance of Russia’s successes and failures, and considers Russia’s relations with the actors involved in the fighting. Finally, it looks at the impact on Israel of the intensified Russian involvement in the Middle East.