Syria, Russia seal deal on future of Moscow’s Mediterranean bases

Syria and Russia have agreed a deal to reorganize Russia’s presence at the Hmeimim and Tartus military bases in western Syria after nearly 18 months of negotiations, Syria’s Foreign Ministry announced Sunday.

Under the memorandum of understanding, Syria will assume management of civilian facilities, including Hmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial berth at Tartus port, gradually integrating them into the civilian administration system, reported the state-controlled Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Military bases and facilities will undergo a functional transformation, with the two sides agreeing to convert them from military bases into joint training and qualification centers under new arrangements designed to preserve their mutual interests.

The memorandum sets a maximum three-month timeframe to complete the transition, after which the new arrangements will take effect, the ministry said.

It described the agreement as “the most significant development” since negotiations began about a year and a half ago, saying it opens the way for a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations.

Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs said in a statement that under the deal, the Syrian side would take over commercial sites previously operated by Russia at Tartus port, including Berth No. 4, warehouses and associated facilities.

Following the announcement, Syrian Civil Aviation and Air Transport Authority head Omar al-Hosary said on X that the authority had taken control of Latakia International Airport in western Syria and begun technical and operational assessments of its facilities and systems ahead of preparing a rehabilitation plan and restoring the airport to operational readiness.

This file photo shows a Russian military aircraft approaching the Hmeimim air base in Latakia, Syria, Dec. 15, 2024. (Reuters Photo)

The Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval base are the two main pillars of Russia’s military and logistical presence in the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Hmeimim, in Latakia province, began as a small civilian airport, formerly known as Bassel Assad International Airport, before Russia converted it into a fully equipped military air base in mid-2015 and made it the main hub for its air operations in Syria.

In October 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an agreement with the deposed regime of Bashar Assad granting Moscow permanent and free use of the base.

Tartus is Russia’s only naval facility in the Mediterranean. Russia’s military presence there dates to 1971, when Moscow established a small technical and logistical support facility.

The site was later expanded into a naval base following a 2017 agreement granting Moscow a free 49-year lease, automatically renewable for another 25 years.

The 2017 agreement granted Russia full sovereignty over the leased area and allowed it to accommodate up to 11 warships simultaneously, including nuclear-powered vessels and submarines.

Russia provided military and political support to Assad’s regime during the country’s revolution and subsequent civil war from 2011 until 2024.

Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party’s decadeslong rule that began in 1963.

A transitional government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025.

DAILYSABAH