Russia asks Syrians to keep naval base in Tartus

The Kremlin is trying to negotiate the preservation of military bases in Syria with the new leadership.

Russia is approaching an agreement with the new leadership of Syria on the preservation of its key military bases in the region – the naval port in Tartus and the air base in Khmeimim. This is reported by Bloomberg.

According to sources, the Russian Ministry of Defense has previously agreed with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which participated in the overthrow of Assad. They may allegedly allow Russian troops to remain at the Syrian bases. However, due to the unstable situation, the agreements may change.

The fall of the Assad regime has jeopardized the 49-year lease of Syrian bases concluded between Russia and Damascus. The Russian base in Tartus is Moscow’s only naval hub in the Mediterranean, while the air base in Khmeimim allows it to conduct military operations in Africa and influence the political situation in the region. These facilities remain an important tool of Russia’s global influence.

The day before, USM reported that Russian ships were heading to Tartus to evacuate Russian military equipment from the country. Those Russians who have reached the evacuation sites tend to drink and loot while waiting for their flight.