Russia Reviews Future of Military Facilities in Syria After Assad’s Departure
Russia's Strategic Interests and Military Presence in Syria
MOSCOW, June 10 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that cooperation with Syria was developing very actively and that Moscow was discussing with Damascus a "possible reformatting" of its military facilities in Syria.
Impact of Assad’s Ousting on Russian Military Bases
The December 2024 ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, raised questions about the future of Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and its naval facility at Tartous. But Moscow has since built relations with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander who is now Syria's president.
Developing Relations with Syria’s New Leadership
"Russian-Syrian cooperation is developing very actively," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said when asked about reported plans for the creation of a logistics hub in Tartous to distribute goods imported from Russia across Syria.
Reformatting Russian Military Facilities
"Within the framework of contacts with Syrian partners, the issue of Russia's military presence in Syria is also being discussed, including in the context of a possible reformatting of the functionality of Russian military facilities."
Significance of Russian Bases in Syria
The bases in Syria are an integral part of Russia's global military presence: the Tartous naval base is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and resupply hub, while Hmeimim is a major staging post for military and mercenary activity in Africa.
Historical Context of Russian Involvement
Russia intervened militarily in Syria in 2015 to back Assad in a civil war. Reuters reported in 2024 that Russia was pulling back forces from front lines in northern Syria and from posts in mountains dominated by Assad's Alawite community, but was not leaving its Mediterranean bases in Hmeimim and Tartous.
Longstanding Russian-Syrian Relations
Moscow has backed Syria since early in the Cold War, and had recognised its independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to throw off French colonial rule. The West long regarded Syria as a Soviet satellite.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan)
