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The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Damascus and Moscow had concluded a memorandum of understanding to determine the future status of Russian bases at Tartus and Hmeimim following 18 months of negotiations. According to a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency, the pact will convert the military facilities into joint training and capacity-building centers while allowing Syria to assume responsibility for civilian operations. The ministry described the arrangement as one that protects the shared interests of both nations.
Syria will take charge of key civilian infrastructure at the sites, including Hmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial berth at Tartus port, the foreign ministry stated. These assets are to be progressively folded into the country’s civilian administrative framework. The agreement sets a firm deadline of three months for the completion of this transition process.
Russia established a significant military footprint in Syria after launching its intervention in the civil war in 2015. Formal pacts signed in 2017 expanded access to the Tartus naval facility and Hmeimim airbase on a long-term basis. The latest memorandum comes after the political changes that swept the country in late 2024.
The foreign ministry’s media department said the two sides had agreed to redefine the role of the Russian military facilities by converting them into joint training and qualification centers. SANA reported that the understanding was reached to reorganize Russia’s presence along the Syrian Mediterranean coast. This development follows a period of uncertainty regarding the bases after the fall of the previous regime.
The memorandum was announced as Syrian officials continue to examine various accords signed during the former leadership’s tenure. The foreign ministry indicated that the three-month transition would allow for a smooth handover of the specified civilian facilities. No comments from Russian officials were included in the Syrian statement.
