into the very NATO countries that ironically are bombing their homeland , only to face more violence from anti - immigrant far - right nationalists . From Russia ’s perspective , the U.S. and NATO have consistently violated international law by invading foreign countries in order to conduct regime change ( through “ color revolutions ” or by military force ) . Insofar as Russian participation in Syria , it was by invitation from Bashar al - Assad to defend Syria against terrorists : both ISIS and so - called “ moderate rebels ” ( a.k.a .