Although the USSR supplied arms to Syria , Damascus complained that America supplied better ones to Israel , and that this allowed Israel to best Syria on the numerous occasions when their forces clashed . Russia has maintained close ties with Syria since the 1950s . Syria one of few states that did not condemn Russia for invading Afghanistan . Russia revitalized their naval base in Syrian port of Tartus in recent years . Russia fears losing confidence in its biggest Middle East ally if the al - Assad regime falls .
Russia has maintained close ties with Syria since the 1950s . Syria one of few states that did not condemn Russia for invading Afghanistan . Russia revitalized their naval base in Syrian port of Tartus in recent years . Russia fears losing confidence in its biggest Middle East ally if the al - Assad regime falls .