His new life Bashar al-Assad - the celebrity ophthalmologist of the Moscow elite

Bashar al-Assad doesn't actually have to work anymore: When Syria's ex-dictator fled into exile in Moscow, he took hundreds of millions of dollars with him. But now the 60-year-old allegedly wants to do it again: He is brushing up on his ophthalmologist skills - and has his eye on the Moscow elite.

What is Bashar al-Assad actually doing? Things have been quiet around Syria's ex-dictator since the 60-year-old and his family boarded his private jet in Damascus on the morning of December 8, 2024 to flee to Moscow. Two days later, Russia announced that al-Assad had resigned following a personal decision.

In April, the Kremlin granted al-Assad asylum, but his stay is subject to strict conditions, writes "Euronews" in October. He is not allowed to make public appearances or engage in political activities, the Russian ambassador to Iraq revealed. Vladimir Putin's secret service is said to be keeping a close eye on al-Assad.

In September, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that al-Assad had to spend nine days in hospital after suffering from poisoning. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defined this as Assad having "no problems while living in our capital".

This should also be assumed, as the former ruler of Syria is certainly not gnawing at the begging cloth. The US State Department estimates the family's wealth at between one and two billion dollars in 2022, hidden in bank accounts, company investments, real estate and tax havens. He is said to own around 20 properties in Russia.

Bashar brushes up on his medical knowledge

The Assads are said to have earned the money through blackmail and arms and drug smuggling. And yet the family is suffering: in May 2024, it became known that Bashar's wife Asma had acute myeloid leukemia.

The Hamburg newspaper "Die Zeit" knows that al-Assad lives in seclusion in a luxury apartment in a skyscraper in the business district of Moskva City. He tries to remain inconspicuous, hardly ever goes out and spends many hours a day playing video games, it continues. A strange picture when you consider that the man is accused of murdering hundreds of thousands of people.

But now it seems that the year could turn out well for the family after all. Asma's health is said to have stabilized after she underwent experimental treatment, reports the Guardian. Meanwhile, her husband has apparently decided to start a new life.

"He is studying Russian and brushing up on his ophthalmology skills," a friend of the Assad family told the British newspaper. "It's a passion of his, he obviously doesn't need the money. Even before the war in Syria began, he regularly practiced his ophthalmology in Damascus."

Children have to adjust

The wealthy elite in Moscow could be his target audience, writes the Guardian. Bashar sometimes spends time in the United Arab Emirates, but usually lives in the gated Moscow neighborhood of Rublevka. "It's a very quiet life," says the Guardian's source.

The children are still getting used to their new status, says the family friend. "They're a bit dazed. I think they're still in a bit of shock. They're just getting used to life where they're not the royal family."

The Syrian cannot expect much support from the Kremlin: "Putin has little patience with leaders who lose their power, and Assad is no longer seen as an influential figure or even an interesting guest to invite to dinner," explains one expert.