Syria-Russia relations reach new high as Assad urges citizens to celebrate anniversary of Soviet triumph over Nazis

Relations between Syria and the Kremlin have never been better – and now even Damascus is festooned with ‘St George ribbons’ to mark the anniversary of the Soviet triumph over the Nazis

As the former Soviet Union rallies today to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, there is an unlikely newcomer to recent Victory Day celebrations: Syria.

Seventy-two years after the end of Second World War, the top brass of Russia’s leadership descends on Red Square for the iconic military showcasing of Russia’s latest weaponry and military might, including nuclear weapons and airforce displays.

Last year, a similar Victory Day showcase of Russian and Syrian military was on display in the Syrian city Latakia on the Mediterranean, where a Russian military base has coordinated Moscow’s intervention in the Syrian civil war. This year, the unlikely commemoration of Victory Day in Syria has been bolstered by a Russian media campaign targeting cities throughout the embattled country.

“9 May is no ordinary holiday,” says Theodore Karasik, senior advisor for Gulf State Analytics, a Washington-based think tank. “The Soviet victory over the Nazis sealed the fate of the world at immense human cost, especially for Russia. Russia today uses Victory Day to inspire patriotism and showcase its ties with allies.”

“For Russia, Islamic terrorism is yesterday's fascism and Moscow's support for Syrian President Assad is seen as necessary through Kremlin lenses.” By promoting Victory Day in Syria, says Karasik, “Russia is also showing its prowess in today's Middle East.”

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 as a series of non-violent demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad, has cost nearly half a million lives and displaced half the nation’s population. The entrenched conflict has become a proxy battleground for Middle East rivals and Western nations.

Russia’s intervention in the Syrian conflict, “rescued the Syrian regime and helped it crush the opposition,” says Michael Kofman, a security analyst at the Centre for Naval Analyses and a fellow at the Wilson Centre.

“After reversing the Turkey and US policy for President Assad’s ousting, eliminating would-be alternatives to the current regime, and capturing most of the population centres, Russia is well placed to dictate terms for post-conflict settlement.”

With military hardware lining the streets of St. Petersburg and Moscow and jets thundering overhead in preparation for Victory Day, Russia launched the “St. George ribbon” campaign in Syria to raise awareness of Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany 72 years ago.