Russia Could Lose Vital Tartus Naval Base in Syria

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria marked a major blow to the ruling family’s allies, namely Iran and Russia.

For years, these rogue nations-fueled by a mutual contempt for the United States- helped prop up Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorial government in Damascus via funds, troops, and military equipment.

As Moscow remains embroiled in its nearly three-year-long invasion of Ukraine and Tehran continues to face losses in the Middle East, both countries were incapable of defending the Assad regime when rebel groups rose up earlier this month, culminating in the toppling of the government.

While the Iranian regime now grapples with the loss of what was for many years a central pillar of its proxy group enterprise, the Kremlin is also facing its diminished clout in the region.

Last week, images released by several media outlets indicated that Russian naval ships had vacated their main port in Syria.

The photographs show that several vessels left the Tartus naval base and are floating offshore in the Mediterranean Sea.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov detailed that Moscow would soon negotiate the presence of its military in Syria with the incoming government in Damascus: “You know that, of course, we maintain contacts with those who control the situation in Syria now. This is necessary because we have our bases there and our diplomatic office [embassy]. And of course, ensuring the safety and security of our facilities are of utmost importance,” Peskov added.

What Russia Could Lose: An Important Naval Base at Tartus

Moscow’s naval base in Tartus stems back to the Syrian Civil War when the Assad regime first offered its ally a free lease. Russia’s direct involvement in Syria’s civil conflict made Assad’s maintenance of power amidst insurgency a reality.

Perhaps as a thank you to the Kremlin, Assad also granted Moscow access to the Hmeimin air base for forty-nine years.

While Russia has benefitted from this foothold in the region, the incoming governing authority in Syria will probably not be as privy to Moscow’s presence.

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