Exiled in Moscow, toppled Syrian dictator Assad makes quiet return to ophthalmology — report

Over a year since he fled to Moscow after his regime was toppled by rebel forces, former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is taking ophthalmology lessons and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle with his family in Russia, according to a report by The Guardian, citing sources familiar with his situation.

Assad, a London-trained ophthalmologist, is currently “studying Russian and brushing up on his ophthalmology again,” a friend of the Assad family says in the report, adding that the ex-ruler is potentially aiming to practice medicine among Moscow’s elite.

The Assad family is largely cut off from political power or influence and is living a quiet, private life in Moscow, with the Assad children frequently visiting the United Arab Emirates, according to the report.

The report adds that the former dictator’s wife, Asma al-Assad, who had been battling leukemia, received experimental treatment in Moscow and has since recovered. With his wife’s health stabilized, Assad is said to be seeking media appearances to share “his side of the story” on the fall of his regime, and has lined up interviews with Russian and American media, but is awaiting approval from Russian authorities to speak publicly.

Assad was deposed in November 2024 after 14 years of civil war that killed some 600,000 people and displaced close to 14 million.