The withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria seems to be confirmed following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, their main strategic support in the Middle East. In any case, this is what these new satellite images taken yesterday by the company Maxar and retrieved by the media The War Zone show. We see a large number of Russian vehicles and other equipment amassed at the Hmeimim air base and the Tartous naval base in Syria, probably in preparation for departure.
Russian forces pack up
In Hmeimim, this painting looks like a big departure. In satellite images taken on December 15, dozens of vehicles and other equipment were arranged in rows. Generally speaking, when the equipment is placed like this on the tarmac, it means that it is getting ready to be loaded onto the planes. Another sign: the many helicopters visible are missing rotor blades, which could mean they are being dismantled. According to The Ware Zone’s interpretation, this certifies that Russian forces have already left Hmeimim.
Ukraine – Russia: military planes of the war
In Tartous, Maxar photographs show dozens of vehicles and other equipment clustered at the end of one of the naval base’s piers. Again, this could indicate imminent withdrawal plans.
According to The War Zone, “Russian warships left Tartus a few days ago, but appear to continue to hold positions off the coast rather than leaving the area entirely“. Several Russian ships are currently believed to be en route to Tartous to support this withdrawal effort.
But the Kremlin does not seem to want to let go
According to a senior military official interviewed by The War Zone, if the Russian military presence disappears in Syria, that does not mean that it is doomed to disappear. Reports continue to circulate that Russian authorities are negotiating with representatives of the new rebel-led transitional government over the future of the bases.
The Tartous and Hmeimim bases are the largest Russian military installations in Syria. They were given to them by Bashar al-Assad in 2017 as part of an agreement between Damascus and Moscow valid for 49 years, i.e. until 2066.
The loss of these bases would therefore constitute a great strategic loss for the Kremlin. “These facilities provide unique strategic locations to project air and naval power in the Mediterranean and Africa” explique The Ware Zone.
