Syria and Russia sign agreement to reorganize military bases in Hmeimim and Tartus

Russian bases in Syria: Agreement between Damascus and Moscow reorganizes the Russian presence on the Syrian coast, with Hmeimim airport and the commercial quay in Tartus handed over to Syrian control, and military bases converted into joint training centers within 3 months.

Syria and Russia signed an agreement to reorganize the military bases in Hmeimim and Tartus, after a year and a half of intensive negotiations, according to the Media and Communication Department of the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

The Media and Communication Department told SANA: “After a year and a half of intensive negotiations and discussions led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the fate of the two Russian bases in Hmeimim and Tartus has finally been settled through a memorandum of understanding that outlines the next phase of relations between the two sides.”

Reorganizing the Russian presence and Syrian management of civilian facilities

It added: “Under the memorandum, the process of reorganizing the Russian presence on the Syrian coast begins, with the Syrian state taking over the management of civilian facilities, foremost among them Hmeimim airport and the fourth commercial quay in Tartus port, allowing them to be gradually integrated into the civilian administration system.”

Regarding the military bases and facilities, the Syrian Foreign Ministry stated that “the two sides agreed to redefine their function, transforming them from military bases into joint training and rehabilitation centers, under new arrangements that preserve mutual interests.”

3-month timeline to complete the transition

The Foreign Ministry continued: “The memorandum of understanding set a timeframe of no more than three months to complete the transition process, after which the new arrangements will come into effect.”

The ministry stressed that “this step is the most significant since the start of negotiations about a year and a half ago, and opens the door to a different phase of Syrian-Russian relations.”

Strategic importance of the Hmeimim and Tartus bases

The Hmeimim airbase and Tartus port hold particular strategic importance on the Syrian coast, with Hmeimim airport serving as a key air facility, while Tartus port is linked to the naval facility that has been one of the most prominent aspects of the Russian presence in Syria in recent years.

The announcement of the memorandum signals that the file of Russian bases has entered a new phase, after its future was one of the most prominent issues in relations between Damascus and Moscow, and opens the door to a different formula for cooperation between the two sides, based on Syrian management of some facilities alongside continued Russian cooperation through joint training centers.

دمشق تعلن التوصل الى اتفاق مع موسكو بشأن مصير قاعدتيها في غرب سوريا

• تتولى بموجبه دمشق إدارة المنشآت ذات الطابع المدني وفي مقدمتها مطار حميميم وميناء طرطوس

• القواعد والمنشآت العسكرية ستعاد صياغة وظيفتها بحيث تتحول إلى مراكز تدريب وتأهيل مشتركةhttps://t.co/BC75IYDQif

— كويت نيوز (@KuwaitNews) August 9, 2026

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa had previously confirmed that his country is working to restore relations with Russia to their normal course, stressing that historical ties and common interests between the two countries form the basis for this approach, noting that Moscow hastened to open a new page with Damascus, amid increasing political movement in Syrian-Russian relations.

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