Russia's public response to massive Israeli strikes on Syria last Saturday including on T4 airbase where Russian troops are perhaps still stationed was rather subdued. The Ministry of Defence said nothing at all and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only offered the terse statement that "creation of threats for Russian military personnel in Syria is unnaceptable".

We now know why. It's because behind the scenes boss Putin was already taking care of it. Haaretz analysis:

Russian President Vladimir Putin put an end to the confrontation between Israel and Iran in Syria and both sides accepted his decision. That's the apparent conclusion to be reached from the chain of events…