Syria Revolution: Why Is Russia Supporting Syria?

But Russia has stood resolutely behind its decision. During an interview with Charlie Rose, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said Russia's approach was more successful than that of countries that were "making a lot of noise and big loud statements."

"We have a relationship with the government, we have a relationship with the country," Vitaly Churkin said. "You cannot expect, or you can actually count on it if you are our ally, that we are not going to turn around overnight," he added.

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Russia's Motivations

The motivation is partly economic. Russia is one of Syria's main arms suppliers, a relationship Russia has maintained despite other countries objecting that Syria could be funneling weapons to groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that Russia furnished Syria with $162 million worth of arms in both 2009 and 2010, and the total value of Syrian contracts with the Russian defense industry is closer to $4 billion.

But such economic considerations are only one factor in a much larger calculation about how the cataclysmic events reshaping the Middle East, and the international response to them, will affect Russia. In one sense, the veto was an affirmation that Russia still has the ability to influence how things play out.

"This shows that the veto still means something and gives Russia great power status, so don't ignore Russia and don't count them out," said Kimberly Marten, a professor of political science and Russian foreign policy expert at Barnard College, Columbia University. "This is a stand Russia is going to take to show the West that it still has power."

Churkin, the U.N. representative, underscored that point when Rose read him some of the criticisms coming from Clinton and other world leaders. Attempting to isolate Russia could undercut Russian cooperation on issues like Iran and Afghanistan, Churkin warned.  

"They should think hard if they are trying to turn the Syrian situation into some sort of a Russia baiting exercise because I think that in many ways they need Russia more than we need them," Churkin said.

Russia Opposes Outwardly Imposed Regime Change

There is also a deep-seated aversion to outwardly imposed regime change among many Russian officials. The NATO intervention in Libya, which was positioned as an attempt to protect Libyan civilians but quickly became focused on ousting Col. Muammar Gaddafi, angered many in Russia. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin likened the U.N. Security Council resolution allowing the Libya airstrikes to a "medieval call for a crusade."

"They really did not like how things went with Libya, how a resolution to enforce no-fly zone became regime change," said Andrei Tsygankov, a Russia expert at San Francisco State University. "Russians are fearful of a precedent. They are fearful that the same resolution will take place here [with Syria]."