BBC: Assad's fall is a huge blow to Russia, Putin invested a lot in him

(Patria) - Russian power was the key factor that kept Bashar al-Assad in power for the last nine years.

However, it seems that in just a few days, the Kremlin's project in Syria has collapsed, while Moscow is powerless to do anything about it.

The fall of Assad's regime represents a blow to Russia's prestige, writes BBC's Russia correspondent Steve Rosenberg.

In 2015, Russia sent thousands of soldiers to support President Assad, and one of the key goals of this intervention was to confirm its status as a global power.

It was the first major challenge Vladimir Putin posed to the West's power and dominance outside the former Soviet Union. And it seemed to be successful.

In return for military aid, the Syrian authorities granted Russia 49-year leases for the Hmeimim air base and the naval base in Tartus.

Russia secured an important presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. These bases have become hubs for transferring military contractors to and from Africa, writes the BBC correspondent.

Assad was Russia's most loyal ally in the Middle East. The Kremlin invested heavily in him - financially, militarily, and politically - to keep him in power.

It will be difficult for the Russian authorities to portray his overthrow as anything other than a major defeat for Moscow.