Marat Gabidullin asserts that the deployment of mercenaries in Syria allowed Russian generals to avoid reporting casualties in official statistics.

“lost of the mercenaries didn't it include in the official statistic.”

The Syrian leadership has a difficult challenge in balancing regional relationships, paying public sector salaries, and curbing revenge attacks against the Alawite community.

“he's facing the problem with what to do with the alawite community and the former regime elements but he's also facing the problem of what does he do with his own people and his own allies”