**Russia Loses Many Soldiers in Syria**
Between 2015 and 2024, at least 543 Russian military personnel and mercenaries died while fighting in Syria. This is according to an investigation by the BBC, which looked at open-source intelligence.
Most of these deaths were from a private group called Wagner. They are a type of mercenary group that works for Russia. A total of 346 people from this group lost their lives in Syria.
Russia’s military leaders had previously said that only 116 soldiers died in Syria. However, the BBC found more information about the number of deaths by looking at media reports, social networks, and records from cemeteries and war memorials.
**Syria Situation**
Just days ago, a rebel group took control of Damascus, the capital city of Syria. This was after they quickly defeated the Syrian dictator, Bashar al–Assad. Assad had been supported by Russia for many years.
As a result of this defeat, Russian soldiers are now stranded in bases in Syria. The BBC reported that Syria had hosted between 6,000 to 7,500 Russian soldiers and mercenaries as of summer 2024.
**Russia’s Withdrawal**
Moscow is starting to withdraw its military presence from Syria. This decision was made after the rebel group took control of Damascus.
The US President-elect has commented on this situation, saying that it highlights Russia’s struggles with its foreign policy.