Abandoning Assad: Putin is willing to sacrifice everything for victory in Ukraine - Media.

Vladimir Putin has focused on victory over Ukraine, forgetting about other foreign policy priorities of Russia. This has led to the collapse of Assad's regime, one of Russia's greatest successes. Now Russia cannot ensure security at its borders while fighting in Ukraine.

Russia's involvement in Syria was directly related to Ukraine. Putin viewed the 'Arab Spring' as a continuation of the protests on Maidan and the 'color revolutions'. He saw these events as a possible attempt to overthrow his regime. Russia's abandonment of support for Assad to fight Ukraine indicates Putin's readiness to sacrifice everything for victory in the war, neglecting other foreign policy issues.

Russia has concentrated on the conflict in Ukraine, which helps Putin's government and Russians to ignore problems in Syria, such as financial and human resources invested in that country. Losing Syria has exacerbated the situation in the war with Ukraine. However, this does not mean that Russia is abandoning its ambitions beyond its immediate sphere of influence.