Syria and Russia Agree to Joint Control of Military Bases
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Syria and Russia Agree to Joint Control of Military Bases
- Syria announced on Sunday, August 9, 2026, a memorandum of understanding with Russia to convert two Russian military bases into joint training centers following 18 months of negotiations.
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The agreement, which includes the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base, stipulates a three-month transition period for the new arrangements to take effect.
Syria and Russia have reached a significant agreement to transform two key Russian military installations in Syria into joint training and qualification centers. The announcement, made by Syria’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday, August 9, 2026, marks a new phase in the military cooperation between the two nations.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base, which have served as critical Russian military footholds in the Mediterranean and Middle East, will undergo a functional transformation. The agreement specifies that civilian facilities at both locations, including Hmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial berth at Tartus Port, will be transferred to Syrian state management and gradually integrated into the country’s civilian administration.
The military facilities, however, will be repurposed as joint training and qualification centers, an arrangement designed to safeguard the interests of both countries. This deal follows approximately 18 months of intensive negotiations. The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated that the transition period for these new arrangements is set for no more than three months.
Russia has maintained a significant military presence in Syria, notably supporting the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war, which concluded in 2024. Following al-Assad’s ousting in December 2024 and his subsequent exile to Russia, the future of these bases became a key point of discussion between Moscow and Syria’s new leadership, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with al-Sharaa in Moscow in January 2026 to negotiate the future of the bases. While Russia has not yet officially commented on the agreement, Syrian state media, SANA, reported the Foreign Ministry’s statements.