Every country has intelligence and psychological operations.
What do you think Russia is the only country that does this?
Nevertheless, can you answer the question in post #84.
If not Assad, then who should run Syria?
Don’t say I don’t know.
Western services have moral limits, but your friends kills your own. I presume that you know of this: http://postsovietpost.stanford.edu/discussion/re-examining-1999-apartment-bombings-russia
I know many Russians and they deserve a government that work for the benefit of their citizens, not just for the top kleptocrats.
The answer is not who should but who shall. I think the point is that by controlling both Assad and Isis, Putin has ensured that Russia will be in charge of Syria regardless of which side wins. What will be interesting in the days and weeks that come is whether the Russian military will actually attack Isis or only limit itself to other opponents of Assad.