Kathrine Frich
Activity at the bases has certainly not stopped during this political transition.
When a long-standing government falls, the ripple effects spread far beyond the capital.
Old allies suddenly find themselves dealing with new leaders to protect their valuable overseas assets.
A complex negotiation is now underway.
A sudden shift
The political landscape in the Middle East turned upside down last December. Bashar al-Assad lost his grip on power. He quickly fled into exile.
He found a safe haven in Moscow. This left Russian officials scrambling to secure their strategic outposts without upsetting the incoming leadership in Damascus according to Moscow Times.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa leads the new Syrian government. He maintains an awkward relationship with the foreign power.
Al-Sharaa is willing to cooperate with Moscow on future projects. Still, he is actively demanding that Assad be extradited back home to face justice.
Rebuilding the alliance
Russian diplomats are currently working hard to smooth things over. Maria Zakharova serves as a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, and she addressed the situation on Wednesday.
She told reporters that a new relationship with the Syrian leadership is “developing very actively” behind closed doors. Both sides seem eager to find common ground.
For Moscow, the main prize is holding onto two key locations. The Tartus naval port and the Hmeimim airbase remain incredibly valuable assets.
They hold a unique status. These two sites serve as Russia’s only permanent military bases located completely outside the borders of the former Soviet Union.
Changing the setup
Rumors have been circulating lately about the future of these strategic sites. Some reports suggest that Tartus could soon be transformed into a dedicated logistics hub for Russian imports.
Zakharova confirmed that a “possible reformatting” of the bases is currently an option.
“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,” Zakharova said.
She noted that layout changes would be handled strictly by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Moving fresh supplies
Activity at the bases has certainly not stopped during this political transition. The Wall Street Journal recently investigated the ongoing maritime movements in the Mediterranean area.
The newspaper reported that a Russian cargo ship docked at the Tartus port just last month.
Using detailed satellite images and information from United States officials, the outlet noted that the sanctioned vessel appeared to drop off fresh goods. Those shipments might have been heading straight for the nearby Hmeimim airbase.
Sources: AFP, The Wall Street Journal, Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow Times
