Where is Assad? Russia solves the mystery of the Syrian dictator’s escape

By Sophie Tanno, Nic Robertson, Madalena Araujo, Catherine Nicholls, Mostafa Salem, and Anna Chernova, CNN

(CNN) — As many in Syria celebrated the end of the long rule of Bashar al-Assad, rumors swirled about his whereabouts. The mystery didn’t last long though, as Russian state media announced Sunday night he had landed in Moscow.

Assad and his family arrived in Moscow after being granted asylum in Russia for what state media explained as “humanitarian reasons,” an official source in Russia told CNN on Sunday night.

The Kremlin remained silent on Assad’s whereabouts Monday, refusing to comment publicly on Russia’s decision to grant him asylum.

“We have nothing to say about Mr. Assad’s whereabouts at the time being,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a regular press briefing, providing little clarity.

When asked whether the decision to grant asylum was made by President Vladimir Putin, Peskov responded, “Of course, such decisions cannot be made without the head of state. It is his decision. But I have nothing to tell you here.” Asked about a potential face-to-face meeting between Putin and Assad, Peskov said that “there is no such meeting in the president’s official schedule.”

A source close to the rebels told CNN that the ousted president had left Damascus under Russian protection, and a separate source said he traveled to Latakia in northwest Syria, where Russia has an airbase.

Flight tracking data shows that a plane departed from Damascus airport at just before 2 a.m. local time on Sunday in the direction of the coast before making a sudden U-turn over the city of Homs and disappearing off the map. CNN cannot confirm whether Assad was on this flight.

Since the uprising began, and the rebels rapidly advanced through the country, Assad had kept a low profile.

After meeting with Iran’s foreign minister last weekend, he pledged to fight “terrorist organizations” but otherwise made little comment as the rebels captured major cities.

On Saturday, as the rebels encircled Damascus, a source told CNN that Assad was nowhere to be found in the city.

Assad’s Presidential Guard were also no longer deployed at his usual residence, as they would be if he was there, the source said, fueling speculation ahead of Sunday’s developments that he may have escaped.

Syria’s presidential office initially denied that Assad had left Damascus or traveled to another country, but after the rebels took the capital, they said he had fled and was searching for him.

Some of the fighters along with civilians began ransacking his official residences.

Amid the rumors, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday saying Assad had “decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully.”

The statement added that Russia “did not participate in these negotiations.” Later came the disclosure that Assad had arrived in Moscow.

Russia was the obvious destination – Putin was a longtime ally and supported the Syrian regime with air power and other military aid.

The Kremlin on Monday acknowledged the challenges surrounding its military bases in Syria, saying “everything possible is now being done to contact those who can provide security.”

Russian state media claimed on Sunday night that Syrian rebel leaders had guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria, citing a Kremlin source.

Whether Moscow is Assad’s permanent destination, it is an abrupt and ignominious end to more than two decades in power.

CNN’s Lauren Kent contributed to this report.

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