KYIV

AS BASHAR AL ASSAD and his family buy winter clothing in Moscow, news from those surrounding current Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggests that a small band of Ukrainians played a part in the overthrow of the Syrian tyrant.

“There’s been a Ukrainian community in Syria for decades,” insisted a close confidante of the Ukrainian leader. “From the old Soviet days, and even further back when some of our boys were with the Germans – after the war they signed on for the French Foreign Legion and ended up in Damascus, where they decided to stay. It’s one in the eye for Putin. Don’t you think?”

Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, who has given Assad asylum, is believed to have made one remark when asked about the regime change in Damascus. “They’re Islamists. Goodbye and good luck!”