Before Fall of Assad, Putin Reportedly Considered Replacing Him With His Wife

A British newspaper has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed removing Bashar al-Assad and installing his wife Asma as his successor before the regime collapsed.

• The Observer reported that Putin considered replacing Bashar al-Assad with his wife Asma to preserve Russian influence in Syria.
• According to the report, Putin proposed the plan to Assad, who rejected it and refused to step down.
• Russia did not intervene when opposition factions advanced on Damascus in December 2024, and Assad left for Moscow on December 8.
• Asma al-Assad left Syria in August 2024 for medical treatment in Russia and has since traveled to Dubai, where she and her husband own property.

Latest developments

• Jul 15 — The Observer reported that the Kremlin had prepared a list of potential successors to Bashar al-Assad, with Asma al-Assad as the top candidate due to her Western-educated image.