NEWSFLASH: Assad flees; Putin-backed Syrian regime falls

Bashar al-Assad, responsible for the torture and mass murder of his own people, has been deposed by rebel forces. It's the culmination of a struggle for freedom started by protests 13 years ago.

A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is pictured with its frame broken, in a Syrian regime's Political Security Branch facility on the outskirts of the central city of Hama, following the capture of the area by anti-government forces, on December 7, 2024. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Bashar al-Assad, an autocrat responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people — and the suffering of many millions more — has been driven from power.

Overnight, rebel forces converged around the capital of Damascus, and the once-formidable authoritarian regime collapsed without significant resistance.

The future may be chaotic, sectarian and violent. It may be unstable and uncertain.

But for a moment, Syrians are gathering to celebrate the end of a tyrannical government.

Here are the takeaways for Syria, Putin and Ukraine:

1. The brittle power of dictators

2. What this means for a Ukrainian victory

3. A blow to Russian strategic messaging around the world

4. Zelenskyy v. Assad, and the role of leadership

After the paywall: What assets did Russia have in the region, and how will this affect Putin? What are the Ukrainian lessons to be learned from the flash collapse of the Assad regime? Paid subscribers get our analysis, after the paywall: