<h3><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/andrew-i-pereira/russian-endgame-in-syria_b_8839064.html?utm_hp_ref=india" data-beacon='{"p":{"lnid":"hdln"}}'>What Is Russia's Endgame In Syria?</a></h3>

Russia's engagement in Syria can be divided into roughly two phases-- (a) Playing the role of a mediator (2011-2015) and (b) Engaging in direct overt action (2015 onwards). Moscow, since the beginning of the conflict, has been critical of the US position regarding Bashar al-Assad and has opposed almost every US-backed initiative in Syria. For Russia, Syria is its strongest Middle Eastern ally and losing is just not feasible.