Many senior figures from Syria’s former regime who were implicated in some of the darkest chapters of the country’s war remain free living luxurious lives in Russia, a report by the New York Times has revealed.
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, dozens of officials and prominent figures have remained shielded by wealth and host countries and continue to evade accountability.
According to the report, ousted president al-Assad fled to Russia with his inner circle after a swift offensive by opposition factions. They reportedly settled in a luxury complex linked to the Four Seasons Hotel in Moscow, where Russian authorities provided them with security and comfortable accommodation.
His brother Maher al-Assad, commander of the elite Fourth Division, was also seen at the hotel, while others spent their days contemplating an uncertain future after the regime’s collapse.
The fate of 55 officials
The New York Times reportedly tracked the whereabouts of 55 security, military, and scientists whose names have been linked to torture, killings, and the use of chemical weapons.
The report concluded that the locations of nearly half of them could be identified, while only one individual has been detained so far.
The report also noted that most of these figures have been subjected to international sanctions, and some are wanted under arrest warrants. Despite this, many managed to disappear or move using forged identities and fraudulent passports.
In Russia, the fugitives were divided between two groups. A small group living in visible luxury, shopping at upscale malls and residing in houses and apartments worth millions of dollars, while another group of hundreds of officers who arrived on military cargo planes and were housed in former Soviet-era facilities under far more modest conditions.
Moscow reportedly imposed strict limitations on their movements, banning media appearances and prohibiting the use of social media.
A lavish life in Europe
The investigation also found that some of their family members are living lavishly in Europe, running businesses or investing in real estate, despite serious allegations that include involvement in the captagon trade and attacks on civilians.
By contrast, some former regime officials remained inside Syria, living in hiding or in poverty and fear of arrest. The investigation documented only one confirmed case of a senior official being formally detained.
It added that victims of more than five decades of al-Assad family rule still do not know the whereabouts of their alleged torturers and continue to question whether justice will ever be served.
Lawyers and Syrian activists reportedly told the publication that efforts to pursue those responsible are hampered by weak political will, the new Syrian government’s focus on consolidating power, and the reluctance of foreign states to extradite former allies or their desire to use them as sources of intelligence.
Despite this, the investigation said many former regime figures, both in exile and inside Syria, continue to deny any wrongdoing, while accountability remains elusive.
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