Bashar al-Assad disclosed his plans to flee Syria to almost no one, leaving even his closest aides, officials, and family in the dark as his rule crumbled. According to over a dozen sources who spoke to the reporters, Assad deceived those around him, maintaining the illusion of control until the last moment. Hours before escaping to Moscow, he addressed around 30 senior military and security officials, urging them to hold their ground with assurances that Russian military support was imminent. Unbeknownst to them, he was preparing his exit, departing without informing even his presidential office manager or his media adviser, Buthaina Shaaban, who arrived at his home to find it deserted.

Assad’s sudden departure marked the end of his 24-year rule and his family’s five-decade grip on power. On 8 December, he left Damascus under cover of darkness, flying a plane with its transponder switched off to avoid detection. His younger brother, Maher, commander of the elite 4th Armoured Division, and other family members, such as cousins Ehab and Eyad Makhlouf, were left behind to face the advancing rebels. Ehab was reportedly killed, while Eyad was wounded during an ambush as they attempted to escape. Meanwhile, Assad’s immediate family had already been relocated to Moscow, where they awaited him at the end of his clandestine journey.

Desperate to secure his position in the days leading up to his departure, Assad sought assistance from Russia and Iran. However, both allies declined to provide further military intervention. Russia, preoccupied with its priorities elsewhere, rebuffed Assad’s appeals during his visit to Moscow in late November. Similarly, Iran refrained from deploying forces to Syria, wary of provoking Israeli retaliation. Despite his promises of incoming reinforcements, Assad’s commanders were left unsupported, and his forces crumbled as rebels swept across the country.

Assad’s escape was ultimately facilitated through a coordinated diplomatic effort spearheaded by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Assad’s hasty exit from Syria was emblematic of a leader who, after exhausting all options, had no choice but to accept the inevitable collapse of his regime. His final words to his prime minister the night before his departure—”Tomorrow, we will see”—were a stark reflection of the uncertainty surrounding his downfall.