Why Russia doesn't want Aleppo to fall
Could Russia be seeing a stalemate in Aleppo as playing to its advantage?
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.
This would have had major repercussions not only on the ground but also would have driven the monthslong diplomatic process to a complete standstill. The retaking of Aleppo by the Syrian government would essentially mean that Assad no longer needs to sit at the negotiating table with the opposition unless the opposition acknowledges its defeat.
US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia that if its recent safe-passage humanitarian operation in Aleppo is a “ruse” and that the city is in fact going to be depopulated only to be seized, it will damage US-Russia cooperation in Syria. The opposition's High Negotiations Committee echoed Kerry's view, saying humanitarian corridors are a way to sugarcoat Moscow’s real intentions.
