A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

It would send a powerful message to the nations of that region that Russia can be counted upon to stand by its friends through hard times.

This is intended to draw a not so subtle contrast with the United States, which some have accused of being too quick to abandon Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.

Mubarak had been relatively close to the United States and his regime was a beneficiary of significant US support, financially and militarily.

It may have come as a shock not only to Mubarak that the US effectively withdrew its support after only a couple of weeks of protests within Egypt against his regime.

This was in spite of warnings from analysts of the potential for the Muslim Brotherhood to increase its influence within the nation, should then President Mubarak be removed from power.

Russia's staunch support for Syrian President Assad, in the face of international condemnation, is seen as a stark contrast.

The message Russia is seeking to send to other nations is that it is a more dependable friend than the United States.

There have also been concerns about the role that Russia has played in the Iranian nuclear program.

Russia constructed the Bushehr nuclear power station, despite international concerns about Iran's enrichment program, that the country claimed was for nuclear fuel, but which could lead to nuclear weapons development.

While Russia opposes military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, it cancelled the sale of advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile batteries to the Iranian government in late 2010.

Iran was infuriated by the decision to cancel delivery of the batteries and commenced proceedings in the International Court of Arbitration.

Russia pointed to the United Nations Security Council sanctions as preventing the sale from going ahead, but this was strongly disputed by the Iranian regime.