Strategic Position of Syria in the Military - Security Equations of Russia

Transformation in the Middle East geopolitical security environment after September 11, has induced the players in the region to adopt different realistic approaches to critical incidents. In this case, Russia is one of the players who has adopted a realistic approach and deeply involved itself in Syria crisis. In this crisis, Russia in a geopolitical conflict and in competition with other regional and trans-regional rivals pursues its military-security and strategic interests. Contrary to some regional players, with different and contradictory positions who consider and pursue the overthrown scenario of Bashar Al-Assad, Russia keeping its security considerations in this crisis, attempts to support Syria government against internal opposition and international supporters, and keep Assad Regime in power so as to provide its interests and strategic objectives both in Syria and in the security environment in East Mediterranean. Regarding this concern, the main question is that what is the geopolitics importance of the Syria in Russia’s security environment?
To answer this question, the authors hypothesize that in the security environment of Russia, military and strategic importance of Syria is of a great value which keeps a balance in security equation of East Mediterranean. It should be noted that this paper will adopt aninvasiveand defensive realism approach all throughout its content.