Aerial strikes, targeting civilians, cutting off supply chains, Russia's brutal war tactics in Ukraine are shocking, but also hauntingly familiar.

These are tactics the country has used before.

Syria's civil war has turned more brutal, more violent and more dangerous over the past year.

That means the explosion of all the area, not only Syria.

Six years before Russia launched its attack on Ukraine,

it began another horrific military operation,

more than a thousand miles away in Syria.

I'm Gustavo Riyan.

You're listening to The Times, daily news from the L.A. Times.

It's Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Today, how understanding Vladimir Putin's Syria strategy

could help explain how the war is playing out in Ukraine.

Thank you. strategy could help explain how the war is playing out in Ukraine. My L.A. Times colleague in Middle East Bureau Chief Nabi Bulos has covered both conflicts,

and he joins us today to talk about what he's seen.

Nabi, welcome to the Times.

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

First off, Americans haven't thought about the Syrian War in years, if they ever did.

How did it all start and who's been involved? Got the Syrian Civil War? It all feels like ancient history at this point. But it began as part of the Arab Spring Revolution. We had the moment in Tunisia and then another revolution in Egypt. And then along the way, the domino seemed to finally hit in Syria. I mean, people will often dispute the beginning of this, right? I mean, people who are pro-government would say that this was all a big conspiracy that fomented this unrest. And then there are those who will tell you also that this was a spontaneous uprising that then just devolved into civil war when the government refused to back down or refuse to actually give up power. I mean, whichever, you know, interpretation you want to have for, the result is finally the same in the sense that now the country is essentially in ruins. And so it's very sad in Syria,

I have to say. And yeah, there are echoes of what we're seeing now in Ukraine, of course.

It eventually turned into a larger proxy war, right? Like, it seemed anyone with any interest in the Middle East ended up being involved one way or another.

In some ways, yes.

I mean, it should be said that some of the original notions, right, the idea of topping the government,

...