Assad’s Post-Syria Life: Luxury, Restrictions, and a Return to Medicine
Former Syrian leader Bashar Assad, toppled in December 2024 as rebel forces closed in on Damascus, is living a quiet, closely managed exile in Russia, according to a report by The Guardian published Monday that cites sources familiar with his situation. After fleeing Syria with Russian help at the end of a 14-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, Assad is now said to be based in or near Rublyovka, a wealthy enclave west of Moscow known for housing members of Russia’s political and business elite.
The report portrays a life that is comfortable but constrained: Assad is described as largely cut off from public view, with Russian authorities said to be restricting him from political or media activity. A Russian diplomat previously confirmed that Assad was under protection and not permitted to appear publicly, the report noted.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
In a striking detail, the sources said Assad—who trained as an ophthalmologist before inheriting the presidency in 2000—has returned to studying medicine and learning Russian, presenting himself less as a fallen ruler than a former doctor trying to reinvent daily routine in exile.
The account also describes a chaotic flight from Syria. Assad allegedly left without warning some senior allies and even parts of his extended family, forcing relatives and loyalists to scramble as the government collapsed. His brother Maher Assad, a key military figure, was said to have stayed in Damascus until late in the final hours, assisting others’ escape.
Attention has also focused on Assad’s wife, Asma, whose health reportedly stabilized in Moscow after leukemia treatment. Their children, the sources said, have adapted quietly: a daughter graduated from Moscow’s MGIMO University, while the sons have stepped back from social media. Hopes of resettling in the UAE appear distant, with the family said to accept that Russia is home for now.
