Russia’s Syrian foothold shrinks to a training center as Damascus takes back the airport and a berth
Under a memorandum signed on 9 August 2026, Russia will transfer civilian facilities to Syrian state control and turn its military bases into joint training centers.
On 9 August, Russia and Syria reached a memorandum to reorganize Moscow's military presence in the country. As part of the agreement, Syria will take control of civilian-use facilities such as Hmeimim Airport and a berth in the port of Tartus, as reported by SANA. Russia had been supporting Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, but after his defeat in 2024, Russian troops started to leave the country en masse, including from Hmeimim Air Base near Latakia and Tartus naval base.
The new memorandum outlines a new format for Russia's presence in Syria, including at these two facilities. Within three months, Russian military bases will be converted into joint training centers, and Syria will integrate the facilities it receives into the country's civilian administration. The agreement is seen as a significant development in Syrian-Russian relations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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