Kathrine Frich
Almost a year after being ousted from power, former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad now lives in a high-security penthouse in central Moscow.
Almost a year after being ousted from power, former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad now lives in a high-security penthouse in central Moscow.
Assad’s new life
Hidden from public view and guarded by security officers loyal to Vladimir Putin, the 60-year-old former dictator reportedly spends hours playing video games in his lavish apartment.
The revelations, published by Die Zeit, paint a picture of a man who has traded dictatorship for digital escapism.
A dictator’s bath with a view
Assad’s Moscow home sits inside a 990-foot skyscraper in the city’s financial district.
His penthouse features a heated marble bathroom with a 13-foot window overlooking the skyline.
“On Victory Day on May 9, you can watch the fireworks from the bathtub with a glass of champagne,” said Natasha, a property agent who sells apartments in the same building.
The bathroom is finished in expensive Carrara marble, reportedly costing up to £60 per square foot.
Life in exile: silence and secrecy
Since fleeing Syria, Assad has kept a “vow of silence,” avoiding interviews and public appearances.
Russian authorities have provided him with protection and residence rights, but no official statement confirms his status.
His fall came in December 2024 when opposition forces captured Damascus, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.
Despite being wanted for war crimes by Syria’s new government, he continues to live freely under Moscow’s protection.
The Assads live in luxury
According to a source identified only as “H,” the Assad family “are in a good place and are enjoying the money they stole.
The Syrian people mean nothing to them.” Bashar and his wife Asma, the British-born former first lady, occupy three interconnected apartments within the tower.
There is even a shopping mall below, which Assad reportedly visits occasionally before returning to his games console upstairs.
A hidden world of gaming and wealth
“Otherwise he spent hours playing online video games,” the same source told Die Zeit.
Assad’s days are said to revolve around gaming sessions, lavish meals, and the comforts of his luxury suite.
He also spends time at a villa outside Moscow, where he entertains a small circle of trusted guests.
The apartments are described as “lavishly decorated, cream-coloured wardrobes with gold trim, crystal chandeliers, and wide sofas reminiscent of Middle Eastern palaces.”
Asma al-Assad’s serious illness
Asma al-Assad, 50, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and declared recovered, but her illness returned last year in the form of leukaemia.
Her condition is now said to be “serious.” She had already been in Moscow receiving treatment when her husband’s regime fell.
Sources claim her health has further isolated the family, who rarely appear in public and rely on Russian state-funded bodyguards for security.
Rumours of assassination attempts
In recent months, reports have circulated that Assad survived an assassination attempt in Moscow.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed he was poisoned and treated in hospital.
The group suggested the motive was “to embarrass the Russian Government and accuse it of being complicit” in his death.
Moscow has neither confirmed nor denied the incident, but the rumour has added another layer of intrigue to Assad’s reclusive life.
Putin’s protection for a fallen ally
The Russian government granted Assad political asylum after his downfall, ensuring his safety despite global condemnation of his rule.
Analysts say Putin’s decision reflects his desire to reward loyalty and maintain influence in Middle Eastern politics.
Assad’s guards, reportedly hired through a private firm funded by the Kremlin, prevent journalists and visitors from approaching his residence.
The Assad brothers’ separate lives
While Bashar lives under tight protection, his younger brother Maher al-Assad reportedly resides at the Four Seasons Hotel near the Kremlin.
According to Die Zeit, Maher “spends his time getting drunk and smoking shisha.”
Once known as the hardline commander of Syria’s elite Fourth Armoured Division, Maher is now said to live a life of indulgence and detachment, far removed from the chaos he helped create.
Wanted by Syria’s new government
Syria’s new authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Bashar al-Assad, accusing him of “premeditated murder, torture, and incitement to civil war.”
The document describes him as “1.89 metres tall, oval face, prominent forehead, long nose. Eye colour: blue. Hair colour: brown.”
The fall of Damascus ended more than five decades of Assad family dictatorship, beginning with Hafez al-Assad’s rise to power in 1971.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
