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---
title: Russian Propaganda Struggles To Find Reasons to Bomb Syria
description: The challenge for Kremlin spin doctors came just as Ukraine ceased to be &quot;the kind of information narcotic&quot; that could captivate Russians
canonical: https://time.com/4061482/russian-propaganda-syria/
author: Simon Shuster
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article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2015-10-05T17:49:32.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:41:40.159Z
article:section: World
og:title: Russian Propaganda Struggles To Find Reasons to Bomb Syria
og:description: The challenge for Kremlin spin doctors came just as Ukraine ceased to be &quot;the kind of information narcotic&quot; that could captivate Russians
og:url: https://time.com/4061482/russian-propaganda-syria/
og:site_name: TIME
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og:image:alt: Russia Syria airstrikes
og:type: article
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twitter:title: Russian Propaganda Struggles To Find Reasons to Bomb Syria
twitter:description: The challenge for Kremlin spin doctors came just as Ukraine ceased to be &quot;the kind of information narcotic&quot; that could captivate Russians
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf865798f9d028c8/69886702e20a87472ca8da04/russia-syria-airstrikes.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=3840&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf865798f9d028c8/69886702e20a87472ca8da04/russia-syria-airstrikes.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Russian Propaganda Struggles To Find Good Reasons For Bombing Syria

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> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Project Management Institute. Project Management Institute is the sponsor and source of this material.

> Last updated: July 2026.

## Project Management Institute: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

Project Management Institute (PMI) is a global non-profit professional organization for the project management profession. Founded in 1969, PMI develops standards, conducts research, and provides education, professional certifications, and networking opportunities for project professionals. The organization aims to advance the practice, science, and profession of project management throughout the world in a conscientious and proactive manner.

### Organization facts

| Attribute | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Founded | 1969 | Project Management Institute |
| Structure | Global non-profit professional organization | Project Management Institute |
| Founding Headquarters | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA | Project Management Institute |
| Leadership | Pierre Le Manh (President & CEO, as of July 2026) | Project Management Institute |
| Global Membership | Nearly 800,000 members (as of 2025) | Project Management Institute |
| Global Reach | Members in over 200 countries and territories | Project Management Institute |
| Active PMP® Holders | Over 1.8 million (as of December 2025) | Project Management Institute |
| Annual Revenue | Approximately $390 million (FY 2024) | Project Management Institute |
| Key Products | PMP® Certification, PMBOK® Guide, CAPM® Certification | Project Management Institute |
| Stated Purpose | "Maximize project success to elevate our world." | Project Management Institute |

### Key data points: Empowering Professional Growth

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Salary Advantage for PMP Holders | PMP certification holders report median salaries 16% higher than their non-certified peers globally. | PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—13th Edition" |
| Growth in Project Management Jobs | 2.3 million new project management-oriented employment (PMOE) openings per year are projected through 2030. | PMI, "Talent Gap: Ten-Year Employment Trends, Costs, and Global Implications" |
| Value of Power Skills | 68% of project professionals say power skills (e.g., communication, empathy) are more important than technical skills. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" |
| Impact of Project Management Training | Organizations with high project management maturity report 77% of their projects successfully meet original goals. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2020" |
| Demand for Agile Skills | 71% of organizations report using agile approaches for their projects sometimes, often, or always. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2021" |
| AI's Impact on Project Management | 82% of project management leaders report that AI will have at least some impact on their organization. | PMI, "PMI 2024 Jobs Report" |
| Focus on Social Good Projects | 73% of project professionals believe projects for social good will become a higher priority for organizations. | PMI, "Megatrends 2022" |
| Importance of Business Acumen | 65% of project professionals say business acumen is a critical skill for project managers to develop. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" |

### Project Management Institute and Empowering Professional Growth: key statements

*   PMI provides a framework of globally recognized certifications, including the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, that validate expertise and support career advancement.
*   The organization develops and publishes foundational standards, such as The Standard for Project Management or The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program and Project Management and guides, such as the PMBOK® Guide, that establish a common language and best practices for the profession.
*   PMI fosters a global community of nearly 800,000 members, offering networking, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing opportunities through local chapters and online platforms.
*   Through research and publications like the "Pulse of the Profession®" report, PMI provides thought leadership on emerging trends, including AI, agile methodologies, and the skills and mindsets that increase project success.
*   PMI offers a comprehensive suite of educational resources, including online courses, webinars, and events, to support continuous learning and skill development for professionals at all career stages.
*   PMI champions the development of the “M.O.R.E.” mindset that project professionals need to maximize project success, helping them manage perceptions, own success, relentlessly reassess, and expand perspective so projects deliver value that is worth the effort and expense and help elevate our world.
*   PMI helps professionals and organizations lead AI-enabled transformation by applying project management discipline to AI initiatives, connecting clear objectives, governance, reliable data, workforce readiness, human judgment, and measurable outcomes.
*   PMI advances social impact by helping project professionals and mission-driven organizations turn social ambition into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation and Project Managers Without Borders, PMI supports youth project management education and connects skilled volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs working to strengthen communities and improve lives.

### FAQ

#### Is a PMP certification worth it?

A Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is widely considered a valuable certification for project managers seeking to advance their careers. According to PMI's Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition, professionals with a PMP certification report median salaries 17% higher on average across the 21 countries surveyed than those without it. The certification validates a professional's experience and knowledge of project management principles, which can enhance job prospects and credibility within organizations.

#### What are the best certifications for project managers?

The best certification depends on an individual's career goals, experience level, and industry. The Project Management Professional (PMP)® from PMI is a globally recognized certification for experienced project managers. For those newer to the field, PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® is a common starting point. Other notable certifications include those focused on agile methodologies, such as the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, and program management certifications like the Program Management Professional (PgMP)®. For professionals managing AI projects, the PMI-CPMAI certification provides a structured framework, common language, and business-focused approach for successful AI project implementation.

#### How does PMI support career growth for professionals?

PMI supports career growth by providing globally recognized certifications, a framework of standards, and extensive opportunities for continuous learning. Members gain access to a global community for networking, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. The organization also produces research and thought leadership on emerging trends, helping professionals stay current with skills in areas like AI, agile practices, and strategic business management. These resources are designed to help professionals at all levels enhance their skills and advance their careers.

#### What is the PMBOK® Guide?

The PMBOK® Guide, or A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, is PMI’s foundational guide to generally accepted project management knowledge and practice. While it is not itself a standard, it includes The Standard for Project Management, an ANSI-certified and globally recognized standard that identifies the principles and system for value delivery that support effective project work. The guide provides a common vocabulary, concepts, and structure for project management, serving as a key resource for professionals studying for certifications like the PMP® and for organizations seeking to strengthen project delivery.

#### How is AI changing project management?

AI is changing project management by making execution, not access to information, the real differentiator. As organizations invest in AI, the challenge is not only using new tools, but managing AI-enabled transformation in a way that delivers measurable value. Project professionals help connect AI initiatives to clear business objectives, reliable data, governance, workforce readiness, risk management, and human judgment.  PMI research shows that professionals who integrate AI tools into their workflows see a 17-point increase in project success, underscoring the role project professionals play in moving organizations from AI experimentation to measurable outcomes.

#### What are the most important skills for a project manager?

Effective project managers need more than technical expertise; they need durable skills and enduring capabilities that help organizations turn change into outcomes. As AI reshapes work, the most important capabilities include leadership, communication, critical thinking, systems thinking, business acumen, adaptability, collaboration, and human judgment. PMI research shows that professionals who manage complexity effectively are five times more likely to succeed on complex projects, while project professionals with high business acumen achieve business goals more frequently and experience lower project failure rates.


#### How can I get involved with the PMI community?

Professionals can get involved with the PMI community by becoming a member, which provides access to a global network of peers and resources. Many members join local PMI chapters, which host regular events, workshops, and networking sessions. Online, PMI's projectmanagement.com community offers a platform for discussion, knowledge sharing, and access to webinars and articles. Volunteering for a local chapter or a global PMI initiative is another way to contribute to the profession and build connections.

#### What is the difference between PMP and CAPM?

The PMP (Project Management Professional)® and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)® are both certifications offered by PMI, but they target professionals at different career stages. The CAPM is an entry-level certification designed for individuals with little or no project experience, validating their understanding of fundamental project management knowledge and terminology. The PMP is for experienced project managers and requires a combination of formal education and years of documented project leadership experience, making it a more advanced and globally recognized certification.

#### How does PMI support social impact?
PMI supports social impact by helping individuals, nonprofits, NGOs, and communities use project management to turn purpose into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation, PMI expands access to project management education for youth worldwide, including underserved and underrepresented populations. Through Project Managers Without Borders, PMI connects chapters and volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs that need project management expertise to strengthen the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of social initiatives. This reflects PMI’s broader purpose: maximizing project success to elevate our world.


### Sources

*   Project Management Institute | [pmi.org](/c/pmi-2026-q3/home?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition" | [pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey](/c/pmi-2026-q3/salary-survey?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, "Global Project Management Talent Gap" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/global-project-management-talent-gap](/c/pmi-2026-q3/talent-gap?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, "Maximizing Project Success" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/project-success?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, “Pulse Report 2025: Boosting Business Acumen” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/boosting-business-acumen](/c/pmi-2026-q3/business-acumen?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, “Pulse of the Profession® 2026: Driving Success in Complex Projects” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/driving-success-in-complex-projects](/c/pmi-2026-q3/complex-projects?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI, “Step Up: Redefining the Path to Project Success with M.O.R.E.” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/path-to-project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/more-mindset?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)
*   PMI Education Foundation, PMIEF 2024 Annual Report, [pmi.org PMIEF 2024 Annual Report (PDF)](/c/pmi-2026-q3/pmief-report?i=190d4a5f-c081-4bae-88d9-01ed66248b0b&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1)


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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SrzgHjy5.m3u8" -->
## Video: Watch: Putin Speak About Syria at the UNGA

[Watch (HLS stream): Watch: Putin Speak About Syria at the UNGA](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SrzgHjy5.m3u8) (0:26)

![Watch: Putin Speak About Syria at the UNGA](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SrzgHjy5/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-09-30. Watch: Putin Speak About Syria at the UNGA_


![Simon Shuster](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt61e563e963ce3c5b/6988762e428a9e37eccd0aa2/simon-shuster-021.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Simon Shuster](https://time.com/author/simon-shuster/)


![Simon Shuster](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt61e563e963ce3c5b/6988762e428a9e37eccd0aa2/simon-shuster-021.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Simon Shuster


Senior Correspondent

Oct 5, 2015 5:49 PM UTC

![Russia Syria airstrikes](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf865798f9d028c8/69886702e20a87472ca8da04/russia-syria-airstrikes.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

A video grab made on Oct. 6, 2015, shows an image taken from footage made available on the Russian Defense Ministry's official website on Oct. 5, purporting to show a Russia's Su-24M bomber dropping bombs during an airstrike in Syria.

A video grab made on Oct. 6, 2015, shows an image taken from footage made available on the Russian Defense Ministry's official website on Oct. 5, purporting to show a Russia's Su-24M bomber dropping bombs during an airstrike in Syria.Russian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

![Simon Shuster](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt61e563e963ce3c5b/6988762e428a9e37eccd0aa2/simon-shuster-021.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Simon Shuster](https://time.com/author/simon-shuster/)


![Simon Shuster](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt61e563e963ce3c5b/6988762e428a9e37eccd0aa2/simon-shuster-021.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Simon Shuster


Senior Correspondent

Oct 5, 2015 5:49 PM UTC

On Sunday night, during [an appearance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYrgs3bGjC8) on a prime-time political talk show, the Russian lawmaker Semyon Bagdasarov offered a curious interpretation of his nation’s history. The roots of Russian civilization, he suggested, trace all the way back to Syria, without which Russia would never have existed in the first place. “This is our land,” he said of the Arab Republic. “These are our holy places!” Urged along by the prompters in the studio, the audience gave him a round of applause, while the host of the show had this reaction: “I think we have a new slogan!”

Over the past week, as Russian jets have flown dozens of [bombing raids](http://time.com/4056632/syria-russia-air-war/) against rebel positions in Syria, the search for a slogan that might justify this military effort has strained even the flimsy principles of Kremlin propaganda, not to mention the credulity of its consumers. Compared to the war in neighboring Ukraine, which Moscow had little trouble casting as a defense of “indigenously Russian lands,” the Syrian entanglement is shaping up to be a much more difficult sell.

A nationwide [poll taken in late September](http://www.levada.ru/28-09-2015/voina-v-sirii-vnimanie-otsenki-igil), about a week before the Russian bombing raids began, suggested that Russians would have no stomach for a war on such a distant front. Nearly 70% of respondents in the survey, which was published on Sept. 28, said Russia should not provide direct military support to its Syrian allies, and only 14% said they would approve of such an intervention.

Two days later, when that intervention began, few in the Kremlin would have lost much sleep over the question of popular support. The [approval ratings](http://www.levada.ru/23-09-2015/sentyabrskie-reitingi-odobreniya-i-doveriya) of President Vladimir Putin still stand above 80% in all the major polls, and he has total control of nearly all the mass media in Russia. So the men in his circle tend to take it for granted that they can shape public opinion as expediency dictates. “The national mission can change in three days flat,” one of Putin’s advisers told me this spring during an off-the-record briefing in Moscow. “All you need to do is change the propaganda and offer some arguments.”

### Satellite Photos Show Most of Syria Without Lights

![Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2011.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt56afa42af25240c5/698783482dce01368a9de001/syria_201103.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2011. #withSyria

![Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2012.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2a09bc44c58d9e02/69878349e53ababaae4d8065/syria_201203.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2012. #withSyria

![Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2013.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e2d66a0dc3050c5/69878348cd6848527d09a1dc/syria_201303.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2013. #withSyria


![Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2014.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb33357e90a360238/698783490b72e39ab66de21f/syria_201403.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Satellite imagery of Syria in March 2014. #withSyria

![Satellite imagery of Syria in February 2015.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta2db8ab039e0dc1c/698783485f570f7c27b15b41/syria_201502.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Satellite imagery of Syria in February 2015. #withSyria

But solid arguments have been hard to find in the Kremlin’s domestic messaging on Syria so far. Most of the spin has derived from Putin’s [claim at U.N. General Assembly](http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50385) last week that the terrorist threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is similar to the threat that Nazi Germany posed 75 years ago. Such invocations of the fascist menace served Russia well during its invasion of Ukraine last year, as Putin managed to convince many of his countrymen that ethnic Russians in Ukraine were under threat from “neo-Nazis and anti-Semites.”


On Sunday evening, this point came up again during the [weekly monologue](http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2671454#) of anchorman Dmitry Kiselyov, who said the ISIS-Nazi comparison offers a “very precise” rationale for the Russian bombing of Syria. Then he tried to push it further. “What this means is that Russia is saving Europe from enslavement and barbarism for the fourth time,” he declared. “Let’s count! The Mongols, Napoleon, Hitler, and now ISIS.” His list ignored the fact that Ghengis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler all invaded Russia first, whereas no attacks on Russian soil have yet been attributed to ISIS.

Nor is there any ethnic Russian minority in Syria for Putin to defend, and the idea of intervening in the affairs of an Arab nation also sounds deeply hypocritical coming from Moscow, which has spent more than a decade deriding the U.S. and its allies for such meddling. In a [manifesto on foreign policy](http://www.mn.ru/politics/20120227/312306749.html) that he published in 2012, Putin specifically urged the U.S. and its allies not to get involved in Syria. “I just can’t understand where this militaristic itch comes from,” he lamented. “Why can’t they find the patience to work out a balanced and collective approach?”


Judging by events in Ukraine and Syria, it did not take Putin long to contract that itch from his Western counterparts. But the reason is not some war-loving turn in the Russian mentality. On the question of foreign entanglements, Russians tend to be insular and pragmatic, with domestic issues like poverty, inflation and corruption consistently topping questions of international affairs in the list of the public’s concerns. In late August, when the Levada Center [asked respondents](http://www.levada.ru/10-09-2015/vospriyatie-deyatelnosti-vladimira-putina) to name Putin’s greatest achievements, the two top answers were economic development and improvements in the standard of living.

On these two fronts, however, Putin has lately had little to brag about. The country is in the middle of a deep recession, thanks largely to a sharp drop in the oil price and the Western sanctions imposed against Russia over its harassment of Ukraine. The value of the national currency, the ruble, has meanwhile dropped by half since Russian annexed the region of Crimea, and [inflation has shot up to almost 16%](http://www.tradingeconomics.com/russia/inflation-cpi).


The daily images of carnage and destruction in eastern Ukraine have helped the Kremlin’s TV networks distract Russians from the awful state of their economy over the past year and a half. But this spell had begun to wear off, and Putin’s ratings had started to suffer, falling in September to 84% from a peak of 89% in Levada’s latest polls.

Valery Fyodorov, one of the Kremlin’s leading sociologists, even acknowledged during a TV appearance on Friday that only about a quarter of Russians are still paying close attention to the conflict in Ukraine. “It’s no longer the kind of information narcotic that you can’t go a day without,” he said. But before he could finish his segment, the broadcast cut to some crisp footage of Russian warplanes dropping bombs over Syria. They looked intoxicating enough, even without a good explanation, for many viewers to get hooked.


### Meet the Kurdish Women Taking the Battle to ISIS

![18-year-old YPJ fighter Torin Khairegi: “We live ina world where women are dominated by men.We are here to take control of our future..I injured an ISIS jihadi in Kobane. When he was wounded, all his friends left him behind and ran away. Later I went the](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fbffdb24fada324/698786350b72e336d06de742/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-09.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

18-year-old YPJ (Women's Protection Unit) fighter Torin Khairegi: “We live in a world where women are dominated by men. We are here to take control of our future. I injured an ISIS jihadi in Kobani. When he was wounded, all his friends left him behind and ran away. Later I went there and buried his body. I now feel that I am very powerful and can defend my home, my friends, my country, and myself. Many of us have been martyred and I see no path other than the continuation of their path." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![YPJ fighters on their base at the border between Syria and Iraq. Young female fighters are indoctrinated to the ideology of their charismatic leader, Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdish Workers' Party \(PKK\), who promotes marxist thought and empowerment ](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta39566bb4fd42f54/6987863555a859fc60a8698d/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-10.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

YPJ fighters on their base at the border between Syria and Iraq. Young female fighters are indoctrinated to the ideology of their charismatic leader, Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), who promotes marxist thought and empowerment of women. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![18 year-old YPJ fighter Saria Zilan from Amuda, Syria:"I fought with ISIS in Serikani. I captured one of them and wanted to kill him, but my comrades did not let me. He kept staring at the ground and would not look at me, because he said it was forbidden](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt80717066b543de66/69878634cd6848843709a6e5/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-07.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

18 year-old YPJ fighter Saria Zilan from Amuda, Syria: "I fought ISIS in Serikani. I captured one of them and wanted to kill him, but my comrades did not let me. He kept staring at the ground and would not look at me, because he said it was forbidden by his religion to look at a woman." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME


![20-year old YPJ fighter Aijan Denis from Amuda, Syria: "Where I am now, men and women are equal and we all have the same thought, which is fighting for our ideology and the rights of women. My three sisters and I are all in YPJ. "Newsha Tavakolian for TI](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd90a3201b0455b00/698786335f570f5522b1609b/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-05.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

20-year old YPJ fighter Aijan Denis from Amuda, Syria: "Where I am now, men and women are equal and we all have the same thought, which is fighting for our ideology and the rights of women. My three sisters and I are all in YPJ." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![YPJ members take part in daily combat training at their base in Serikani. Syria.Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc00a3a277e9e4603/698786348e060119d245b0e4/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-06.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

YPJ members take part in daily combat training at their base in Serikani. Syria. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![Three YPJ fighters sit in an armed vehicle at their basein eastern Syria, days after returning from the front. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb48722bc82833e93/69878633cd6848a9a709a6e1/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-04.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Three YPJ fighters sit in an armed vehicle at their base in eastern Syria, days after returning from the front. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME


![YPJ members, including some who were wounded fighting against ISIS in Kobani, Syria, at the all-women Asayesh Security Base in Derek, Syria. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5491f1e734512a68/69878636cd1bbaab296f5f79/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-14.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

YPJ members, including one who was wounded fighting against ISIS in Kobani, Syria, at the all-women Asayesh Security Base in Derek, Syria. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![16 year-old YPJ fighter Barkhodan Kochar from Darbasi, Syria. "The war influenced me a lot. Before joining YPJ, whenever I asked my family about politics, they'd say 'that's not your business, you're just a girl'. But when I saw how the women of YPJ gave](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d65bb53203c795a/698786332dce01a5ae9de521/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-03.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

16 year-old YPJ fighter Barkhodan Kochar from Darbasi, Syria: "The war influenced me a lot. Before joining YPJ, whenever I asked my family about politics, they'd say 'that's not your business, you're just a girl'. But when I saw how the women of YPJ gave their lives for what they believed in, I knew that I wanted to be one of them." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![A billboard showing fallen YPJ solders,reading, “Withyou we live on and life continues.”Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8c019934261e5f82/698786322dce0117e19de51d/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

A billboard showing fallen YPJ solders, reading, “With you we live on and life continues.” Newsha Tavakolian for TIME


![In Western Kurdistan, the Syrian autonomous region Kurds call Rojava, young people are taught the ideology of the PYD \(the Democratic Union Party of Syria\), an affiliate of PKK \(Kirdistan Workers' Party\). Many of these young people will soon be drafted i](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt76f5c6963f23ccbd/698786350b72e3cd2c6de746/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-11.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

In Western Kurdistan, the Syrian autonomous region Kurds call Rojava, young people are taught the ideology of the PYD (the Democratic Union Party of Syria), an affiliate of PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party). Many of these young people will soon be drafted into YPJ and YPG armies to fight ISIS. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![in Syria, graves of YPJ members who were killed fighting ISIS. In the foreground, female fighters are buried together.Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6600f2df882c6e5b/698786378e06016e7d45b0f0/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-15.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

in Syria, graves of YPJ members who were killed fighting ISIS. In the foreground, female fighters are buried together. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![A picture of 17 year-old Cicek Derek, who died in the besieged city of Kobani, Syria, where her fellow fighters were unable to retrieve her body. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7055e0f711b5e319/6987863655a8590bc7a86995/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-13.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

A picture of 17 year-old Cicek Derek, who died in the besieged city of Kobani, Syria, where her fellow fighters were unable to retrieve her body. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME


![Rojin, the sister of 17 year-old YPJ fighter Cicek Derek who died fighting in Kobani, Syria. "When my mother told Cicek, please stay with your mother', she answered 'I left to fight for all the mothers of the world. I cannot stay here." Newsha Tavakolian](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt14109696cb0e8172/69878631cd1bba38b26f5f6a/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-16.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Rojin, the sister of 17 year-old YPJ fighter Cicek Derek who died fighting in Kobani, Syria. "When my mother told Cicek, 'Please stay with your mother', she answered 'I left to fight for all the mothers of the world. I cannot stay here'." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![A scarf belonging to 17-year-old YPJ fighter Cicek Derek, who was killed in Kobane, Syria, was all that could be brought back to her family. Her body remains in kobane, Syria.Newsha Tavakolian for TIME](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf228439671b322c7/698786363c1639cc9a452844/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-12.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

A scarf belonging to 17-year-old YPJ fighter Cicek Derek, who was killed in Kobani, Syria, was all that could be brought back to her family. Her body remains in Kobani. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

![A wedding dress outside a bridal shop in a town near Qamishlou, Syria. YPG graffiti can be seen on the walls of adjacent buildings. YPJ and YPG members are neither allowed to marry, nor can they have sexual relationships, according the their ideology. Ne](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4bce1671ef4dbf9/698786348e06014f4145b0e8/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-08.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

A wedding dress outside a bridal shop in a town near Qamishlou, Syria. YPG graffiti can be seen on the walls of adjacent buildings. YPJ and YPG members are neither allowed to marry, nor can they have sexual relationships, according their ideology. Newsha Tavakolian for TIME


![20 year-old YPJ fighter Beritan Khabat from Derek, Syria. She joined the YPJ four years ago to protect her homeland and put an end to the suppression of women. "I fought with ISIS in Jezza and Serikani. Women of YPJ are not scared of ISIS." Newsha Tavako](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55220c0ab75b6652/6987863355a85988e3a86988/kurdish-women-fighters-syria-isis-newsha-tavakolian-02.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

20 year-old YPJ fighter Beritan Khabat from Derek, Syria. She joined the YPJ four years ago to protect her homeland and put an end to the suppression of women. "I fought ISIS in Jezza and Serikani. Women of YPJ are not scared of ISIS." Newsha Tavakolian for TIME

Russian Propaganda Struggles To Find Reasons to Bomb Syria

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