![Russia's President Vladimir Putin takes part in the main naval parade marking the Russian Navy Day, in St. Petersburg on July 31, 2022 [Photo by PAVEL BYRKIN/Sputnik Host Photo Agency/AFP via Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/GettyImages-1242220199-scaled.jpg?fit=920%2C553&ssl=1)
Syria’s Defence Minister was seemingly insulted by the Russian military last week, which prevented him from accompanying the Commander of Russian forces in Syria at a ceremony.
On Sunday, the Syrian Defence Minister, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and the Commander of Russian forces in Syria, Alexander Cheko, participated in a ceremony commemorating the Russian Navy Day at the Syrian port of Tartous.
In a video clip published by the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Abbas was seen to be prevented by a Russian soldier from following Cheko on to the main deck of a vessel, where a parade was being held. Ali Abbas was then left to stand amongst soldiers in the background.
“Embarrassing! A Russian soldier prevents the Minister of Defense of the Syrian regime from accompanying the commander of the Russian forces in Syria, at the Tartus naval base occupied by Russia.” pic.twitter.com/E2v0Ah2Ero
— Fared Al Mahlool (@FARED_ALHOR) August 1, 2022
The incident is not the first time an official of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime has been humiliated by its Russian ally and patron, with even President Assad himself having famously been prevented by a Russian officer from walking with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017, following Putin’s arrival at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Lattakia.
OPINION: Russia’s role in Syria is sinister, it’s an occupier with an iron grip