Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad, whose notoriously brutal rule over the country earned him the nickname “The Butcher,” was deposed in 2024 after years of bloody civil war.

Now, in a surreal cyberpunk twist, according to a report in German newsweekly Die Zeit, the former dictator is largely holed up in a luxury high-rise in Moscow, where he routinely spends hours playing online video games.

Assad, who practiced as a physician and was reportedly thought of as “geeky” during his medical training years, also appears to enjoy stunning views of Moscow landmarks from his apartment, and has access to a villa outside the city. He also reportedly makes occasional visits to a shopping mall below his apartment. Assad apparently resides in Russia under President Vladimir Putin’s protection,

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