[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Russia portrays itself as "the protector of the Orthodox" -- and let me clear -- Assad protects Christians. For his own personal gain of course, but he protects them, just as Saddam did -- the IS and the Saudis kill Christians.

Your theory (that Russia supports Assad because he "protects Christians) is flawed, since; Russia kills or generally persecutes Christians; Supports Syria which also supports Hizbollah; supports Iran which doesn't "protect Christians"; is implicated by defectors as having a role in world-wide Islamic terrorism for the last 70 or 80 years.

[Cronos]

"Russia kills or generally persecutes Christians" -- sorry, no, that is not true.

Iran does support Christians -- Christians are free to worship and live there -- the ancient Armenian Church and the Assyrian Church of the East are protected there. Granted, they can't proselytise, but being able to live is much, much better than the option given by Sunni nations like Saudi which say you can't be a citizen and a Christian.