Russia's focus on subjugating Ukraine was one of the factors that led to the abrupt demise of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow’s main client in the region. Here's how Moscow’s big Middle East setback could affect Russia's war against Ukraine.

Mideast also 'big priority,' but 'less difficult situation than Ukraine with Russia,' Syria 'will have to take care of itself,' Donald Trump says in interview with French weekly Paris Match - Anadolu

Military and political analysts said winning the war in Ukraine has become an all-encompassing goal for Mr. Putin. That outcome, they said, would justify to the Russian leader the conflict’s tremendous human and economic losses, safeguard Russia’s statehood and global stature and compensate for strategic failures elsewhere, such as in Syria.

Today's large-scale shelling by Russia was allegedly a response to the use of ATACMS missiles against the military airfield in the city of Taganrog, the Russian Ministry of Defense reports. According to the Ministry of Defense of the terrorist country,