Are the two Russian warships heading for Syria simply carrying a force of marines to protect Russian citizens in the country or is this the start of the endgame for the Assad regime? Are there cabins on board the vessels that have already been earmarked for Assad and his retinue?

That fact that President Putin has seen fit to despatch two powerful amphibious ships, the Nikolai Filchenkov and the Tsezar Kunikov, to the old Soviet-era Russian naval base at Tartous, indicates that the Kremlin is preparing for some sort of big change.

It is unclear how many Russians there still are in Syria, though reliable reports say that many wives and children have been evacuated since the uprising began 16 months ago. There have been no major attacks on Russian targets and if any Russian officials have been killed or injured in the violence, Moscow has not said.

As and when the Assad regime falls, those Russians caught in Damascus or elsewhere away from the security of the Tartous base can expect to be in danger of arrest or revenge attacks. The Syrian opposition is united in its fury at Russian diplomatic and military support for the Damascus regime.

Tragically, there is now little life left in the Annan peace plan. The Syrian army and the murderous militias are effectively involved in a civil war in which they have entirely abandoned any pretense at moderation or a desire for dialogue with the opposition.

The Kremlin’s despatch of the two amphibious warships is a recognition of the downward spiral into chaos that faces the country. The possibility should not be ruled out that further naval and military forces could be sent to Syria. If this happens, it must be wondered if Moscow is even envisaging some form of military intervention to try and save the Assad regime. It may be that among the soldiers aboard the warships are Spetsnaz special forces who could target key rebel leaders. It is almost certain that the ships will be carrying sophisticated electronic communications surveillance equipment, to supplement that already used by the regime.

When Obama and Putin met on Monday at the G20 summit in Mexico, it must be hoped that the US president made plain to his Russian opposite number, just how dangerous any military interference would be. He may have also pointed out the serious international risk of any of the regime’s substantial chemical weapons stock piles, which include deadly Sarin and other nerve agents, falling into the hands of Al-Qaeda terrorists who have begun to infiltrate the uprising.

But did Putin listen? Russia it appears, is still on a collision course in Syria, seeking to sustain an unsustainable regime and in doing so, earning itself the contempt and enmity, not just of the Arab world but of the wider international community. It could, however, save something of its reputation if the two warships sailing for Tartous were used, as soon as possible, to take Assad and his henchmen off to Russia.