Expert Advisory: Putin's Syrian withdrawal may signal he plans to use resources elsewhere
HAMILTON, Mar. 15, 2016- Russia's decision to reduce its military engagement in Syria may be a signal that Vladimir Putin is planning to deploy the same resources elsewhere, says a McMaster expert in Russian politics and culture.
"It's a balancing act on their part," says John Colarusso, a professor of anthropology and linguistics who has served as an advisor to the White House. "They must need those resources elsewhere, otherwise they'd keep them in place as a way to get Syrian President Bashar Assad to co-operate with them."
Putin may be preparing for new troubles in the volatile and strategically important Caucasus region, Colarusso says.
To arrange an interview with John Colarusso, please contact him at colaruss@mcmaster.ca or 905-525-9140 ext. 23902.
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