A report published by the German newspaper “Die Zeit” revealed aspects of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s life in Moscow, where he lives under the direct protection of the Kremlin, in one of the most isolated and mysterious periods of his life.

The report stated that Bashar al-Assad’s life in Moscow combines excessive luxury with complete isolation. While living in apartments overlooking skyscrapers, his political record remains hostage to Moscow, far from any role or influence in Syria’s future.

The newspaper explained that the Assad family, who fled Syria in December last year, owns about 20 luxury apartments spread over 3 floors in a high-end skyscraper in central Moscow.

According to a source who spoke to the newspaper, Assad lives in 3 connected apartments located above a luxury shopping center and uses personal guards from a private Russian security company funded by the government.

According to “Die Zeit,” the Assad family began purchasing apartments in Moscow in 2013, two years after the protests began.

In 2019, the British newspaper “Financial Times” reported that “the Assad family bought at least 18 luxury apartments in Moscow” using a complex network of companies and financial institutions for this purpose.

The report quoted a close associate of Assad saying the former president lives a luxurious life, spending long hours playing video games and occasionally visiting shopping centers in Moscow.

The newspaper’s team managed to enter the building itself and described the apartments as “palaces suspended in the sky,” equipped with crystal chandeliers, luxurious furniture with gilded frames, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Moskva River and surrounding skyscrapers.

It added that the bathroom is entirely made of Carrara marble, with a giant heated ceramic bathtub in front of four-meter-high windows. Planes pass at eye level, as reported by Sky News.

According to “Die Zeit,” Asma al-Assad, the former president’s wife, suffers from a critical health condition after a recurrence of the cancer she had recovered from in 2018.

The source added that Asma is receiving treatment in Moscow after her condition deteriorated since spring 2024.

Meanwhile, Maher al-Assad, Bashar’s brother, stays in a 5-star hotel and spends most of his time smoking hookah.