Things we didn't need: Syrian 1989 T-72 premium tank for the Russians, with ERA on >60% of its surface area, thermal optics, laser rangefinder, and the best APFSDS of all T-72s.
Things we got: that.
Even the money & RP gain from high tier isn't worth the frustration of facing a wave of Syrian T-72s every single match. It can't be that bad, right? Surely other factions got premiums too, so they don't have to grind out comparable tanks! Nope. Italy got a premium ground vehicle, but it's WW2. Maybe the new top-tier vehicles from other factions will outweigh it? Sure, if you ignore the T-90 that was also added, with its active protection system that hard-counters ATGMs. The Syrian T-72 is the most profitable premium tank to play AFAIK, at least for Russia, so no doubt it's being used to grind the T-90. 'Cause that's what we need.
Aircraft, maybe? Bunch of new stuff there. Russian Mig-21bis and Yak-38s, Harriers, the Mitsubishi F1, Chinese Q-5. All kinds of new stuff. Sucks if you play anyone from mainland Europe though. Hooray, another Bf-110 and a premium P-47 for Germany and France.