Syria, Russia convert Mediterranean bases to joint training centers

Syria and Russia have finalized a memorandum of understanding to restructure Moscow's two principal military installations on Syria's Mediterranean coast, the Syrian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday. Under the agreement, reached after 18 months of negotiations, the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base will be converted into joint training and qualification centers. Syria will assume control of civilian facilities at both sites—including Hmeimim airport and the commercial berth at Tartus port—and integrate them into the national civil administration, while military installations will be repurposed for shared training activities. The transition is scheduled for completion within three months.

The accord marks a significant shift in Russia's military footprint following the December 2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad, whom Moscow had supported as a major political and military ally throughout Syria's civil war from 2011 to 2024. After al-Assad's fall, Russian forces gradually withdrew from Syria, except those stationed at the two bases. Assad and his family were granted asylum in Russia. Syria's new interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led the armed opposition that toppled the regime, has since visited President Vladimir Putin twice to discuss the bases' future.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry characterized the arrangement as a "reorganizing of the Russian presence" along Syria's coast and stated it represents "the most significant development since negotiations began approximately a year and a half ago, paving the way for a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations." Syria's General Authority for Ports and Customs will take over commercial operations at Tartus port, including Pier No. 4 and associated warehouses. Russia has not yet officially commented on the agreement.

Analysts note the deal reflects pragmatic interests on both sides. Alexey Muraviev, senior research fellow at Edith Cowan University, told Al Jazeera that "both countries need each other," with Damascus likely "not interested in terminating its prolonged relationship with Russia." The agreement allows Syria to reclaim greater sovereignty over strategically important facilities while Russia maintains a military presence in the Mediterranean region where it has invested substantially for decades.

Since al-Assad's ouster, Syria has simultaneously strengthened ties with Western nations and Arab neighbors that had severed relations during Assad's rule. The United States has lifted most sanctions, and French President Emmanuel Macron visited Syria in July, announcing that the two countries would appoint ambassadors for the first time in 14 years. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani inspected both base facilities on Sunday. Omar al-Hasri, head of Syria's Civil Aviation Authority, described the handover of Latakia international airport as "an important step towards restoring and operating Syrian airports and reintegrating them into the national civil aviation system."