Russia nears deal with new Syria leaders to keep military bases

MOSCOW - Russia is nearing an agreement with Syria’s new leadership to keep two vital military bases in the Middle East state, a key objective of the Kremlin after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Talks are taking place for Russian forces to remain at the naval port in Tartus and the air base at Hmeimim, said people with knowledge of the matter in Moscow, Europe and the Middle East, asking not to be identified because the issue is sensitive.

The Defence Ministry in Moscow believes it has an informal understanding with Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the former Al-Qaeda offshoot that led the offensive to oust Mr Assad, that it can stay at the Syrian bases, the person in Russia said. The situation could still change amid the instability in Syria, the person cautioned.

It was not immediately possible to verify the information with officials in the transitional government in Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not immediately respond to a request to comment. 

The naval base is Russia’s only hub on the Mediterranean Sea. The airfield is used to supply Russia’s security operations in Africa, allowing it to project political and economic influence and restore some of Moscow’s Cold War-era authority on the continent.

The Kremlin flew Mr Assad and his family into exile in Russia over the weekend after convincing the Syrian dictator that he had lost the war with rebel groups bearing down on the capital, Damascus. 

The collapse of the regime effectively rendered worthless 49-year leases for the bases that Russia was given in 2017, two years after President Putin sent his military to bolster Mr Assad’s forces and push back opposition fighters. BLOOMBERG