Putin demands answers on intelligence failure over Assad’s fall - Bloomberg

President Vladimir Putin is seeking explanations for why Russia’s intelligence service failed to identify the growing threat to Bashar al-Assad’s rule in time, Bloomberg wrote Wednesday, citing a source close to the Kremlin.

The outlet added that Russia persuaded Assad he could not defeat armed groups led by HTS and offered safe passage for him and his family if he left immediately, according to three sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

The Kremlin announced Monday that Putin had granted Assad asylum.