Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Saudi Arabia on October 14 is conveniently symbolic of Moscow's increased influence in the Middle East, as analysts say a U.S. pullback in northern Syria is playing into the hands of Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad and others. A report in The New York Times about hospital bombings paints a stark picture of one of the ways that clout has been gained, and how it is used. Join host Steve Gutterman for this week's The Week Ahead in Russia podcast.