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Russia Begins Withdrawal of Military Equipment from Key Syrian Naval Base

By Vusala Abbasova February 3, 2025

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This move comes as Russian officials engaged in “frank” talks with Syria’s new leadership, hoping to secure a deal to maintain their foothold in the region.

Russia is removing military equipment and vehicles from Tartus port, a key naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

BBC Verify analyzed footage showing Russian convoys moving north, with satellite images confirming military hardware being stored there.

Fresh satellite images from Planet Labs, published on Wednesday, reveal that much of this equipment has now disappeared. The withdrawal follows the departure of Russian-linked vessels, raising doubts about Moscow’s future military presence in Syria.

This move comes as Russian officials engaged in “frank” talks with Syria’s new leadership, hoping to secure a deal to maintain their foothold in the region. Reports suggest Syria’s new government may have revoked Russia’s lease at the port, though officials have yet to confirm the decision.

The 2019 agreement granted Russia a 49-year lease on the port, with a commitment of over $500 million in infrastructure improvements. Former Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hammoud described the deal as a strategic step to bolster Syria’s struggling economy. The Tartus port, alongside Khmeimim Air Base, has served as a major logistical hub for Russian military operations in the region.

This development follows the recent collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024, a sudden turn in Syria’s civil war. The swift advance of opposition forces, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), toppled Assad’s regime, despite years of military support from Russia.

Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, has reportedly sought asylum in Russia. His government’s fall has shifted the regional balance of power, forcing Moscow to reconsider its position.

Russia’s involvement in Syria dates back to the civil war’s early days in 2011. It intensified in 2015 with direct military intervention to support Assad. Agreements signed in 2017 granted Moscow control of the Tartus naval facility and Khmeimim Air Base until 2066. These sites have played a pivotal role in Russia’s operations, both as logistical hubs and military strongholds in the Middle East.