Syria and Russia Agree on Future Control of Russian Military Bases in Syria

The Syrian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday night that an agreement has been reached with Russia regarding the future status of Russian bases in Syria, specifically at the Khmeimim airbase and the port of Tartus. According to the Syrian statement, civilian infrastructure such as the runways at Khmeimim and the commercial pier at Tartus will gradually be transferred to Syrian government control. Military facilities will be converted into joint training and instruction centers. The agreement sets a three-month timeline for completing this transition, which the Syrian Foreign Ministry described as opening a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations.

The historical context of the relationship dates back to the Cold War and Soviet support during the Yom Kippur War. After the Soviet Union's collapse, Russia lost its capacity to invest in the Middle East. Vladimir Putin sought to restore Russian presence in the Mediterranean region after coming to power in the late 1990s. In 2013, Putin intervened in Syria, persuading the U.S. to avoid striking Assad’s regime following chemical weapons use in the civil war. Since then, Russian forces have operated in Syria, strengthening their presence with two main bases: the naval port in Tartus near the Lebanon border and the Khmeimim airbase in Latakia.

From 2015, Russian air and ground forces supported Assad against rebel groups, making Moscow a key power broker in Damascus alongside Iran and Hezbollah. Putin secured Assad’s rule through agreements including with Turkey. However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent difficulties, Assad’s regime shifted from being an asset to a burden for Moscow. By December 2024, after Assad’s fall, Putin granted asylum to the fleeing Syrian leader in Moscow. Syrian rebels have blocked access to the Russian bases but have not attacked them. Russia rapidly reduced its presence in Syria, reallocating forces to other regional areas such as Libya and Sudan.

Additionally, near the Israeli border, Syria revealed the capture of an ISIS cell, and reports indicate Syria requested Russia to redeploy troops closer to the Israeli frontier.