Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis.

Russia Is Intensifying the Syria Conflict

It’s hard to fathom, writes political analyst Sharif Nashashibi in his debut article for Syria Deeply, but the civil war is about to get a lot worse. “This new push by the Syrian government’s allies,” he writes, “is setting the stage for the further escalation and prolongation of the conflict. If Moscow thinks its current muscle flexing will pacify Syria, it is sorely mistaken.”

My Syrian Diary Part 42

“It looks like escaping has become our new destiny,” writes Marah in this week’s diary entry. “We want to escape from home, from our responsibilities and from the whole country. What’s left? Maybe I will escape life altogether. The situation keeps deteriorating. I try not to let this crisis affect everything I do, but I always fail in this effort. The crisis is stronger than me. It actually controls my life.”

War Widows: Caught Between Unbearable Losses and Daily Challenges

Thousands of widowed Syrian women face poverty as well as grief. Unable to work, and with no income of their own, they often endure strict control from their remaining family. For some, life is so difficult that they make the heartbreaking decision to remarry in a desperate attempt to find financial stability. Syria Deeply’s partners on the ground spoke to widows throughout Idlib province about how they’re coping.

More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply:

• Syria: Taking the Initiative, Acquiring Some Leverage
• Syrian National Coalition: ‘We Have One Condition – There is No Future for Assad’
• Under Russian Bombs, Syrians Speak Out 
  Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org. You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at  info@newsdeeply.org.