Inside Bashar al-Assad's lavish Moscow hideaway: A life of gaming, mall hopping revealed

Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad, who fled his country to Russia  following civil unrest, is spending time playing video gams and mall hopping, according to reports. Assad is reportedly staying at a luxury tower block in central Moscow under the protection of security operatives loyal to Vladimir Putin.

Deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad now spends hours playing video games while living in a luxury tower block in central Moscow. He remains out of sight and is guarded by security operatives loyal to Vladimir Putin, according to a report by German newspaper Die Zeit.

The luxury apartment has over 20 apartments across three floors, all of which are being occupied by his family members. There is a shopping mall underneath the complex, and Assad is often seen visiting the mall.

The report quoted an Arab journalist, who claimed Assad keeps a low profile and the details of the Syrian dictator’s life were given to him by someone he identified as “K”.

“He and his family can move freely around Moscow,” K told the Arab journalist, adding that the family has employed private bodyguards who are paid for by the Russian government. Bashar spends long hours playing online video games, he added.

However, Assad’s wife Asma, is in critical condition after her breast cancer returned in 2024. As for Assad’s younger brother Maher, he is staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Moscow, “spending his time drinking and smoking hookah.”

The report also gave details of the sky scraper where Assad lived, describing it as “a gleaming, high-security skyscraper filled with foreign residents and politicians”. It features a 20-meter-high ceiling, modern art, and private reception areas that are lavishly decorated — cream-colored wardrobes with gold trim, crystal chandeliers, and wide sofas reminiscent of Middle Eastern palaces.

The apartment also features a huge heated bath and a window frontage which offers one of the finest views in Moscow. “On Victory Day on May 9, you can watch the fireworks from the bathtub with a glass of champagne,” Natasha, a real estate agent in the region, was quoted by the German newspaper.

 

Middle East