On Friday, satellite images showed Russian troops packing and dismantling military equipment at one of Syria’s main bases, where former president and Russian ally Bashar al-Assad was last seen It suggests that Russian forces may be preparing for a military withdrawal after being overthrown by Syrian rebels. week.
It remains to be seen what the final deal will be between Russia and Syria’s new government, but the move comes as Russia loses a key ally and faces the possibility of a loss of influence in Syria. It reflects the major changes in the power relations of the countries that followed. middle east.
US defense contractor Maxar Technologies on Friday released images showing transport movements at Russia’s Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval base, located south of Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
At Hmeimim, two An-124 large transport aircraft were observed at the airfield with their nose cones raised and ready to load equipment. Nearby, a Ka-52 attack helicopter was seen being dismantled, presumably in preparation for transport.
Other forces, including a Russian military convoy, also appear to be heading toward the air base.
Footage reviewed by NBC News showed a Russian convoy heading north towards Homs along a highway connecting Damascus in the south and Aleppo in the north. “May God never bring you back,” said the person filming the video, noting that this was the second time he had seen such a convoy.
Another video shows Russian military vehicles driving through Jabre, near the Hmeimim air base.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, also reported that Russian troops were withdrawing from the Hassia area south of Homs, with plans to regroup later in Hmeimim.
Similar movements by the Russian military have been observed across the country.
Another verified video showed a Russian military vehicle driving through what appeared to be Syria, with bystanders waving their shoes at the vehicle. Another video posted by Russia’s popular military-themed telegram channel Military Informer purportedly showed a Russian military column crossing Kurdish-held territory in Syria.
The fall of Assad’s regime has dealt a major blow to Russia, which is already engaged in a protracted ground war in Ukraine.
Russia’s military presence in Syria is central to its Middle East strategy, with Hmeimim and Tartus serving as key bases for projecting power across the region and safeguarding Russia’s influence in the Mediterranean.
When Russia intervened in Syria’s civil war in 2015, its support tipped the scales decisively in Assad’s favor, but this time the Russian government has been unable to prevent his ouster and is threatening a major withdrawal from the country. will be a big blow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed the damage last week, saying Russia had spent significant effort in the past stabilizing Syria, but its current priority was the conflict in Ukraine.
He said Moscow is currently in talks with Syria’s new leadership to address issues related to the country’s military presence and the safety of Russian citizens and diplomats in the country.
“You know, of course, that we are in contact with those who are currently in control of the situation in Syria,” Peskov told reporters, as translated by Reuters.
In a notable change, Russian state media has begun referring to the Syrian rebels as “rebels” rather than “terrorists,” and the Russian government, which seeks to maintain a strategic military presence in the Mediterranean, has begun to engage diplomatically with new Syrian authorities. has shown an intention to be involved.
However, there is no sign that a concrete agreement has been reached to ensure Russia’s continued presence.
Meanwhile, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations sent two identical letters to the United Nations and the United Nations Security Council on Saturday, after Israeli forces moved into Syrian territory last week while launching massive airstrikes against the country. Official complaints were included.
“Syria is committed to ensuring that the United Nations and the Security Council take responsibility and force Israel to immediately cease its continued attacks on Syrian territory, to ensure that such attacks are not repeated, and to move away from areas into which Israel has entered. “We reiterate our call for firm and immediate measures to be taken to force an immediate withdrawal, which has been gaining ground in recent days,” the letter said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said last week that there was a “barren defensive zone” in southern Syria as Israeli forces took control of a demilitarized, UN-supervised buffer zone set up under a 1974 ceasefire agreement. announced that it had ordered the military to set up a
Israel says the airstrikes and ground actions are aimed at preventing Assad’s rockets and chemical weapons from falling into the hands of extremists who could threaten its borders and people.
But the progress comes at a time when the international community is already nervous about further instability as Syria prepares to transition from Assad’s 53-year regime.
