Syria says agreement reached with Russia over future of two military bases
Syria said on Sunday that it had reached an agreement with Russia over the future of two Russian military installations on Syrian territory, signalling a potential transformation of Moscow's long-standing military presence along the Mediterranean coast.
The facilities at Tartous and Hmeimim, which played a major role in Russia's support for former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the country's civil war, are expected to be converted into joint training centres under the new arrangement.
Russian bases set for new role
Syria's Foreign Ministry said the military facilities at the Tartous airport and the Hmeimim port would become joint training centres.
The ministry described the planned arrangement as part of new agreements designed to safeguard the interests of both countries. The announcement was reported by Syria's official SANA news agency.
The change would represent a significant adjustment to the role of two facilities that have been central to Russia's military footprint in Syria for years.
From Assad-era military support to a new arrangement
Russia used its Syrian bases extensively during its military intervention in the country's civil war, providing crucial support to Assad's government.
The Hmeimim airbase and the Tartous naval facility were particularly important to Moscow's operations and represented Russia's only official military footholds outside the territory of the former Soviet Union.
Their future became increasingly significant following the political changes in Syria and the end of Assad's rule.
Damascus and Moscow seek to preserve ties
The announcement suggests that Syria and Russia are seeking to maintain a relationship while adapting the military dimension of their cooperation to the country's new political circumstances.
The proposed training-centre model could allow Moscow to retain a presence and continue military cooperation without preserving the facilities in their previous operational role.
Syrian authorities have not provided further details on the precise structure of the planned centres or the timetable for their transformation.
The agreement nevertheless marks an important development in the future of Russia's strategic presence on the Syrian Mediterranean coast.
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