Syria Takes Control of Khmeimim and Tartus Bases from Russia
Syria and Russia have agreed on the reorganization of the Russian military presence on the Syrian coast. Damascus will get control of the civilian infrastructure of the Khmeimim airbase and the port of Tartus, while military facilities will be turned into joint training centers.
The memorandum of understanding came after approximately 18 months of negotiations. The Syrian Foreign Ministry called it the most important achievement in bilateral consultations and the start of a new stage in relations with Moscow.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Syrian state will take over management of the civilian part of the Khmeimim airport. The fourth commercial berth of the Tartus port, related warehouses and other facilities previously used by Russia will also come under Damascus's control.
The civilian infrastructure will be gradually integrated into Syria's state aviation, port and customs systems. The parties plan to complete the transfer and introduce new operating procedures within three months.
The military parts of the facilities in Khmeimim and Tartus are to be turned into joint centers for training, professional development and military capacity building. The agreement does not provide for a full withdrawal of Russia from Syria, but significantly narrows the format of its presence: Moscow loses sole control of strategic infrastructure and retains only a limited role within the framework of cooperation with the Syrian authorities.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani has already visited the facilities covered by the memorandum and assessed their condition. The Syrian authorities state that the new model should guarantee the country's sovereignty while preserving the mutual interests of the parties.
The Khmeimim airbase near Latakia and the naval facility in Tartus have long been Russia's main strongholds in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Moscow actively used them during its military intervention on the side of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The future of the bases came into question after Assad's overthrow in December 2024 and his flight to Russia. The new Syrian authorities started reviewing previous agreements with Moscow, demanding the return of state control over strategic facilities.
