-
Russia’s Policy Towards Kurds Throughout the Syrian Conflict

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has espoused an inimical position towards the aspirations of the Kurds in Syria. Russia’s stance was formulated based on the interplay of the Kurdish political and military forces with Russian strategy that sought to protect and uphold al-Assad regime.
Russia’s agendas as a superpower and the Kurds as a local power were and still incompatible throughout the Syrian calamity. Russia intervened militarily in the Syrian crisis in 2015 aiming to save Assad regime from an impending collapse. While the Kurds sought to obtain self-rule within a new Syria, which they hoped would be federal and decentralised. So, it was understandable that Russia to stand against the Kurds and even to support those who hostile them.
When Turkey shot down the Russian aircraft in 2015, Russia began to use the Kurdish issue in Syria against Turkey. Due to the intransigent stance of Turkey, many Russian officials stressed the necessity for self-determination of the Kurds in Syria as well as in the entire Middle East. However, before the escalation between Russia and Turkey, the Kremlin showed its high resentment and decisive reluctance about the formation of the Kurdish self-administration in north and east Syria in 2014. The Kremlin, simply, considered the Kurdish move as a threat to his ally’s power, viz., Al-Assad regime.
After the American air forces helped Kurdish Peoples Protection Unites (YPG) against ISIS in the battle of Kobane in 2014, the relations between U.S and Turkey started to worsen. Russia took the opportunity to improve its relations with Turkey by intimidating Ankara that U.S is helping the Democratic Union Party (PYD) that affiliated to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Russia went further when it frequently proclaimed that U.S supports Kurdish separatists in Syria referring to PYD and its military wing YPG that made up the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
In the beginning of 2018, the Kurds in Syria received the first Russia’s tangible betrayal when it allowed Turkey to invade the Kurdish city of Afrin and to undermine a part of the Kurdish self-administration. The disgraceful deal between Russia and Turkey was known as Afrin to Turkey in exchange for Ghouta to Russia and the Syrian regime.
Prior to Turkish occupation of Afrin, Russia’s stance on the independence referendum of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2017 was based on its policies in Syria and the role of Turkey and Iran. Russian position on the referendum at the beginning was relatively better compared to the positions of other great powers. But later it turned out that this was to blackmail Turkey and Iran and to obtain concessions from both states in Syria.
Russian anger toward the Kurds increased when the latter who lead SDF became the U.S. essential partners in fighting ISIS in Syria. In other words, when the largest Kurdish political and military forces in Syria practically became dependent on U.S. in terms of supply and protection. Russia started to punish Kurds by mediating between Damascus and Ankara in terms of diplomacy and intelligence over the rise of the Kurdish situation in Syria, the matter which disturbs both states.
Now, Russia desires to repeat Afrin’s black scenario in the town of Ain Issa which is considered as the administrative capital of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. After SDF rejected Russia’s proposal to hand over the town to the Syrian regime, Moscow granted a green light to Ankara to commence a new offensive against the Kurds. Russia tries to utilise, as much as possible, from the rest days of Trump’s administration and to shuffle more the cards in the game on the Syrian arena. The reason behind that is to make Biden’s administration confront a complex and bewildered reality in Syria.
Historically, the former Soviet Union and its successor, Russia, have not been friends and allies of Kurds. In 1946, the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan was established with a hidden support from the Soviet leadership. Eleven months later, the Republic of Mahabad collapsed by Iranian authorities after, Joseph Stalin, abandoned the Kurdish Republic. Soviet leaders adopted another passive attitude towards the Kurdish revolution in Iraqi Kurdistan led by Mustafa Barzani during the sixth and seventh decades of the last century.
These days, history is repeating itself again and in another way in Syria. Once again, Russia is standing up against the legitimate and modest Kurdish aspirations in Syria in order to preserve its interests that conflict with the Kurds' obtaining some of their rights. Russia has not hesitated for a moment to penalise the Kurds in Syria, even by allowing Turkey to occupy their lands and shed their blood. Yes, it is the logic that says that a state ruled by an absolute dictator and has a long history of persecuting different peoples cannot support the rights of another oppressed people like the Kurds in Syria.
By: Jwan Dibo
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!