On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the British newspaper "Daily Mail" reported that the family of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad purchased at least 20 apartments in Moscow, Russia, worth over £30 million in recent years, highlighting Russia's role as a safe haven for the clan.

The report detailed the luxurious life of the Assad family, stating that Assad, his British wife, and their three children left their Syrian palaces and will start a new life in Russia after Vladimir Putin granted them asylum.

According to the report, Asma al-Assad, the London-born doctor's daughter who married into the brutal authoritarian family, has grown accustomed to a life of luxury, reportedly spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on home furnishings and clothing during her husband's horrific rule.

The U.S. State Department estimated the family's wealth at $2 billion, hidden in numerous accounts, shell companies, offshore tax havens, and real estate portfolios.

The report suggested that the family would likely rely on extensive family connections and assets in Moscow to maintain their comfortable lifestyle in exile.

According to the Kremlin, the family was granted asylum based on direct orders from Putin. Moscow has not disclosed further details, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters, "We have nothing to say about Assad's whereabouts."

It is widely believed that Asma al-Assad, who has been battling an aggressive form of leukemia, arrived in Moscow with her daughter and two sons days before her husband finally fled Syria.

Secret tunnels were discovered under the Assad family palace after the opposition seized Damascus on Sunday, serving as a potential escape route for the dictator and his allies.

Reports indicated that Assad might have fled through the Russian Hmeimim airbase, with flight trackers showing a Russian plane taking off near Latakia in northeastern Syria hours before his arrival in Moscow was announced.

The opposition's swift, unopposed capture of the Syrian capital on Sunday ended the 13-year civil war and six decades of Assad family authoritarian rule.

The "Daily Mail" report noted that the situation was highly embarrassing for Putin, as Moscow had poured military and financial aid into Assad's government and bombed Syria for years to support his regime.

Russian media quoted an unnamed Kremlin source saying, "Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow. Russia granted them asylum based on humanitarian considerations."

The report stated that the family, including sons Hafez and Karim, aged 24 and 21, and daughter Zein, aged 22, is expected to move to Russia, though it is unclear whether they will live in private property or a government safe house.

Regardless, they are likely to expect some level of luxury given their previous living conditions and immense wealth.

WikiLeaks revealed private correspondence showing that Asma al-Assad spent $350,000 on palace furnishings and $7,000 on crystal-studded shoes.

The report mentioned that the Assad family's relatives, the Makhloufs, led by Assad's uncle Mohammad Makhlouf, are considered the second wealthiest and most important family in Syria after the Assads, with significant assets in Russia.

To keep tens of millions of dollars out of Syria during the civil war, the family purchased at least 18 luxury apartments in the City of Capitals complex, located in Moscow's glittering skyscraper district, according to the Financial Times.

The twin-tower skyscraper, which was the tallest building in Europe until the Shard in London was unveiled in 2012, houses some of Russia's wealthiest businessmen, government ministries, five-star hotels, and multinational companies.

The luxurious building may now become home to the Assad family as they start a new life in exile. Photos of the apartments in the complex show lavish fixtures and upscale furnishings, with panoramic views of Moscow.

The report also highlighted the Assad family's strong personal ties to Moscow, with the eldest son of the deposed president a PhD candidate at Moscow State University.

Russian media reported that Hafez al-Assad, aged 20, defended his thesis at Moscow State University and became a candidate in physical and mathematical sciences.

The discussions took place on November 29, during the opposition's assault on Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo.

Assad may have been on an unannounced visit to Moscow at the time, with the Kremlin refusing to comment on whether Assad or his wife had visited the country.

Asma al-Assad previously attended her son's graduation in June 2023, with photos showing her embracing him in front of Moscow State University's main building and meeting with university officials.

Hafez al-Assad's work, written in Russian and 98 pages long, focuses on analytical and algebraic number theory, specifically polynomial issues.

At the end of his thesis, Assad expressed gratitude "to the martyrs of his homeland - Syria - and first and foremost to the martyrs of the Syrian Arab Army." He also thanked his parents, Bashar and Asma, Moscow State University President Viktor Sadovnichy, the university staff, and teachers and lecturers from Syria.

Russian news agencies reported last night that Assad is in Moscow with his family.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "Such decisions cannot be made without the head of state. This is his decision," without providing further details on Assad's movements.

The Kremlin stated that Syria is experiencing "severe instability," making it too early to discuss the future of Russian bases in the country.

Peskov said, "We are in dialogue with Ankara and other regional countries, including on Syrian affairs," adding, "Syria will now go through a very difficult period due to instability. It is crucial to maintain dialogue with all regional countries here. We are determined to do so."