Early suspicions have now been confirmed: Russia is laying the groundwork for a large military presence, complete with a major air base, in Latakia – the Shiite heartland of Syria and ancestral home to the Assad family. The New York Times reported last week that about a dozen Russian T-90 tanks, 15 howitzers, 35 APCs, and over 200 marines have been spotted in satellite photographs of the region. Subsequent shots have revealed the fourth generation SU-30SM fighter jets and attack helicopters.

It’s obvious that Putin is doubling down on his support of the Assad regime. But the big question remains: What can Russia possibly stand to gain from plunging itself into the quagmire of the Syrian civil war?