[usurper]

This is based on the premise that Putin needed to justify his actions is Syria.

To who? The Russian people love him, the UN will not do anything, he does not care a whit NGOs or Obama think.

The premise makes no sense.

[John Valentine]

The premise makes no sense.

Agreed. And since when is a premise the only thing we need to complete an argument, anyway? And a premise is ALL that underlies this, not one shred of evidence.

[annalex]

based on the premise that Putin needed to justify his actions is Syria

Did you read the article?

he says Putin cynically authorised the tragedy not only to obtain worldwide sympathy at a time when Russia was being treated as a pariah because of its aggression towards Ukraine, but also to gain support for its ostensible belligerence against ISIS

[...]

The aim was to get ‘at least silent international approval’ for massive military operations against Assad’s enemies under the guise of a campaign against the IS terrorists blamed for bombing the Russian passenger jet; and to bolster Russia’s multi-billion-pound weapons business with the Middle East.

So,

• Relieve or end diplomatic isolation
• Perpetuate status-quo in Ukraine
• Replace dwindling oil revenues with arms sales