Kremlin: opposition forces promise security for Russian bases in Syria following government overthrow
Rebel forces, who seized power in Syria, have pledged to ensure the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in the country, as reported by Russia's state news agency TASS, citing an anonymous Kremlin source.
"Russian officials are in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have promised to guarantee the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria," said the agency's source.
Another TASS source in Syria disclosed that the opposition now fully controls the coastal regions of Tartus and Latakia, where Russia’s Khmeimim airbase and naval base are situated. "The armed forces of the opposition have not encroached and do not intend to encroach on the territories of Russian military bases, which are operating normally," the source noted.
On December 8, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate reported that Russia is withdrawing its warships from the port of Tartus, a move echoed by various OSINT observers.
The rebels have now taken full control of the coastal province of Latakia, home to Russia's Khmeimim airbase and Tartus naval facility, TASS reports this morning of December 9, citing regional sources . "Since yesterday, the opposition fully controls the Latakia province, including the cities of Tartus and Jableh. The opposition's armed forces have not entered, nor do they intend to enter, the Russian military bases, which continue to operate normally," revealed the source.
According to data from the Telegram channel Flightradar24, several planes—including heavy military transport aircraft An-124 and Il-76—allegedly landed at Khmeimim airbase in Latakia on the night of December 8, presumably for evacuation purposes. Later, the Black Sea Strategy Institute reported that two Iranian transport planes also landed at Khmeimim.
The pro-Kremlin Telegram channel "Rybar," closely linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense, described the situation in more critical terms: "Russia's military presence in the Middle Eastern region is hanging by a thread, the Khmeimim base is isolated, and Russian naval vessels have been evacuated from Tartus port to reduce risk from potentially hostile bandits."
Rebel forces, spearheaded by the group "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" (HTS), launched a major offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's government forces in late November. Within days, they entered the country’s second-largest city, Aleppo, and took control of several other major cities. On December 8, they announced on state television that they had entered Damascus and toppled Assad's regime. According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, he "decided to step down from the presidency" and left Syria. TASS reported that he and his family are currently in Moscow.
During the rapid advancement of the opposition, Russian forces supported Assad's government troops by carrying out air strikes and naval attacks against the insurgents. With the opposition's successes, rumors began circulating about the possible evacuation of the Russian contingent.