Ukraine's MFA: Syria conflict reveals Russia's weakness

This was emphasized by Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi in a post on social media platform X, as reported by Ukrinform.

"Due to its ginormous losses in Ukraine, Russia had to withdraw most of troops and equipment, leaving Assad without the support he needed. It is also telling that the Kremlin conceals Russia's true troop and equipment losses in Syria," Tykhyi stated.

He argued that Russia's failure in Syria demonstrates that the Kremlin regime's resources are limited and it is not as strong as it claims.

As reported by Ukrinform, since launching an offensive on November 27, Syrian opposition forces have captured key territories, including Aleppo, Idlib, Tel Rifaat, and Hama, advancing close to Homs, a critical stronghold before Damascus. On December 7, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group leading the offensive, declared their goal to topple Assad's regime by any means necessary. He also asserted that, after Assad's fall, foreign military presences in Syria would no longer be needed.

HTS, which broke ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, seeks to position itself as a viable alternative to Assad's authoritarian regime. It has pledged to "rebuild Syria" and facilitate the return of Syrian refugees from Lebanon and Europe.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has expressed reluctance for Washington to intervene in Syria's conflict. He noted that with Russia — Assad's key ally — deeply engaged in its war with Ukraine, it "seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years."