Raghida Bahnam, freelance journalist from Lebanon. She says: "Russia wants to be in a position to ease or worsen tensions in the region at will, deepen migration flows to Europe, and continue harassing America and its allies." 
 

 

 

Vladimir Esipov from DW's Russian department points to a Russian saying that goes 'Holy space is never empty': "Russia has filled the vacuum created by others."

 

 

 

Daniel Gerlach, editor-in-chief of the Middle East quarterly Zenith: "In the Middle East, Russia is making very efficient use of its very limited resources, which can't be said for countries in the West."