Damascus and Moscow have formalized an agreement to reorganize the presence of Russian military forces in Syria. As part of this memorandum, control of civilian facilities previously managed by Russian troops will be handed over to Syrian authorities. Key sites involved include Hmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial dock at the port in Tartus, which will be gradually integrated into Syria’s civil infrastructure.
Additionally, Russian military bases will be transformed into joint training and qualification centers aimed at protecting the interests of both nations.
The memorandum stipulates a transitional period not exceeding three months, after which the new arrangements will take effect.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described this agreement as the most significant outcome of negotiations that lasted approximately eighteen months, emphasizing that it paves the way for a new phase in relations between Damascus and Moscow, as reported by SANA.
Context
- Russia began withdrawing its troops from both military bases in Syria (Tartus and Hmeimim) after opposition groups overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in late November 2024, prompting Assad to flee the country. On December 8, it was reported that he was in Russia.
- On the same day, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported that Russian ships were leaving the Tartus base and transferring remaining weapons by air from Hmeimim.
- In October 2025, Bloomberg, citing flight tracking service Flightradar24, reported that Russian aircraft had resumed flights to the airbase in Syria.
