Russia has created a new role for its ambassador to Syria, a move that analysts have interpreted as showing an increasing strain in Russian-Syrian relations amid the ongoing rift at the heart of the Syrian regime between President Bashar al-Assad and his cousin, tycoon Rami Makhlouf.
JUST IN (short thread): #Putin names current #Russia/n Amb in Damascus as "Presidential envoy for developing ties with #Syria".
Alexander Efimov, who will turn 62 on May 27, been serving as Amb to SYR since Oct 2018.
Prior to this, he has served for 5 years as RUS Amb to UAE. pic.twitter.com/1SUyEMr2J1— Maxim A. Suchkov (@m_suchkov) May 25, 2020
Moscow’s position unclear
Putin has appointed Russia's ambassador to Damascus, Alexander Efimov, as his special representative for the development of relations with Syria. This belated step is an attempt to reduce the growing influence of the Russian security forces in the so-called “political settlement”
— Anton Mardasov (@anton_mardasov) May 25, 2020
In a way it's continuation of the trend. In 2018 I've written for @AlMonitor on Efimov's potential role in #Damascus as a possible "economic manager" as opposed to his predecessor (Amb Kinshak) as "war manager"https://t.co/oYAD4xWhmS pic.twitter.com/aPSa9BOsIS
— Maxim A. Suchkov (@m_suchkov) May 25, 2020