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Why Russia doesn't want Aleppo to fall

Could Russia be seeing a stalemate in Aleppo as playing to its advantage?
A man rides a bicycle past burning tyres, which activists said are used to create smoke cover from warplanes, in Aleppo, Syria  August 1, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail - RTSKLM0

War-torn Aleppo has come into the spotlight again this week with rebels' breaking through a weekslong siege by Syrian forces in a matter of days.

The initial success of President Bashar al-Assad’s siege, which clearly emboldened him, could have led to the fall of the second-largest city in Syria and has become a significant victory for the pro-Damascus forces.

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