Why is "Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war" trending?

Wikipedia Overview

From September 2015 until December 2024, Russia conducted a military intervention in the Syrian civil war, following a request by the regime of Bashar al-Assad for support against the Syrian opposition and Islamic State (IS). This began with extensive airstrikes across Syria, focused on strongholds of opposition factions such as the Free Syrian Army, Revolutionary Command Council, and Army of Conquest coalition. Russian Special Operations Forces, military advisors and private military contractors like the Wagner Group were sent to Syria to support the Assad regime, which was on the verge of collapse. Prior to the intervention, Russian involvement had included diplomatic support for Assad and billions of dollars' worth of materiel for the Syrian Arab Armed Forces. In 2017, the Russian government announced that its troops would be deployed to Syria permanently. Analysts point to Russian aims including mounting great power competition with the United States, guaranteeing access to the Eastern Mediterranean, and improving military capacity across the Middle East, such as in the Red Sea and Libya.