Exiled former Syrian leader Bashar Assad should play a role in the reconstruction of Russian cities affected by the conflict in Ukraine, according to Russian politician Dmitry Kuznetsov. He suggested that Assad might be eligible for Russian citizenship.

Assad, who led Syria for nearly 25 years, was ousted earlier this month when a coalition of armed opposition groups, primarily composed of Islamists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), swiftly captured Damascus.

The Kremlin has stated that Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia. Since the fall of the Syrian capital on Sunday, he has not made any public appearances or issued statements, leaving his future plans uncertain.

Kuznetsov, a member of the parliamentary foreign relations committee, expressed to Gazeta.Ru on Thursday that he believes Assad and his family could become benefactors in one of the war-torn areas of Donbass and potentially relocate to one of the newly constructed homes in Mariupol.

Mariupol, a Black Sea port city now part of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic, was taken by Russian forces in 2022 following a prolonged siege. Russian authorities are currently engaged in the city’s reconstruction efforts.

“I support the idea of [Assad] demonstrating his commitment to the Russian people, and based on his contributions to the recovery of Donbass, we could then discuss the possibility of citizenship,” Kuznetsov stated.

Another lawmaker, Aleksey Zhuravlyov, previously argued that Assad merits citizenship due to his significant contributions to Russia.

Russian officials have indicated that Assad has opted to resign after discussions with unnamed opposition factions. Mikhail Ulyanov, a prominent Russian diplomat, characterized the decision to offer Assad asylum as a demonstration that Moscow “does not abandon its allies in challenging times.”

Russia’s involvement in the Syrian civil war began in 2015, aimed at supporting the Assad regime against various opposition groups and the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS, previously known as ISIS). Although the future of Russian military installations in Syria is uncertain, the Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that it continues to engage with the newly established HTS-led authorities in Damascus, assuring that its diplomats and military personnel are not facing any immediate danger.