Resources for Understanding Syria from a Russian/Syrian Perspective

u/ThePeoplesBadger - originally from r/GenZhou
Unfortunately, my knowledge of the conflict is very limited and the US media, surprise surprise, has almost entirely ignored the war and devastation going on there.

Does anyone have good resources which seek to explain the history of the conflict, the material conditions leading up to it, the material conditions during the lifetime of the conflict, and the material conditions now on the ground?

All I know is that Islamic extremists (ISIS? Salafism? Wahhabism?) are involved, it seems that Syria and Russia have been working together against them, and the US is doing its "drone strike everything" military strategy. I know that people are starving, I know that entire cities have been completely destroyed, and I assume that the West is interested in ousting Assad by any means necessary.

I know that absolutely awful things are going on over there and then the US and West are very involved in the horrors but are engaged in a media blackout on the realities of the conflict.