Putin's full support for al-Assad is contrary to Russia's Sunni majority

Battles to Control Aleppo Seem as Endless as Syria's War Itself is a case of Bashar al-Assad practicing ethnic cleansing by bombing the eastern Sunni half of Allepo to make it safe for his Alawite tribe to the city's west. John Kerry should negotiate with Putin to split the city.  Contain the Shiite Alawites to the West and leave the Sunnis to self organize to the east. The lever on Putin? Be a peacemaker in Islam's Sunni / Shiite divide or become a pariah to Russia's Islamic population which is 95% Sunni.