There are no signs that Russia is withdrawing military assets from its main air and naval bases in Syria after the overthrow of Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebels, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing satellite imagery and expert commentary.
“If an evacuation was happening, we would know,” Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was quoted as saying.
Russia is reportedly pulling back from smaller outposts in Syria while maintaining a presence at the Tartus naval facility and the Hmeimim air base, according to FT. CNN Turk reported Sunday that Russian troops had requested Turkey’s support for their safe exit from areas that do not include Tartus or Hmeimim.
Satellite images and transponder traffic showed heavy-lift aircraft arriving and departing Hmeimim over the past week, but analysts quoted by FT said their tempo is “not consistent with a hurried departure.”
Similarly, FT said no ships that would enable a maritime evacuation of equipment or personnel were seen arriving in Tartus. Meanwhile, it reported that the five vessels stationed there were holding positions about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) offshore outside the range of mortar fire.
“The Russians don’t want them to get hit, so they pull them out to loiter at sea,” said Massicot.
Losing Tartus and Hmeimim would cost Russia both a permanent presence in the Mediterranean and a stop-off point for operations in Africa, where Moscow has military and economic interests.
The Kremlin has said the future of both bases was subject to discussions with Syria’s new leadership after Russian news agencies cited anonymous sources saying that the rebels had guaranteed their security.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
