Russian military forces are preparing to leave Syria in a controlled, methodical manner following the fall of the government of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Moscow began withdrawing its troops and military equipment from Syria last week, according to US and other officials quoted by CNN.
Signs things are changing fast in Syria wrt. Russia.
Exhibit 1: Khmeimim air base controlled by Russia.
S-400 unit seen in Nov being removed as seen in Friday's satellite pictures of @Maxar
(From left to right; before and after) pic.twitter.com/1P2i3O5RGt
— Ankiit Koomar (@AnkiitKoomar) December 14, 2024
Russia maintains the Khmeimim Base in Latakia and a port facility in Tartus, along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
Satellite images (Maxar) showed last Friday that Russian forces appeared to be loading and preparing aircraft to leave its military bases in the country.
Footage uploaded to social media also showed the preparations being made, including the transport of Russian surface-to-air missile systems south towards Tartus.
Satellite images showed two AN-124 heavy military transport planes at Khmeimim Air Base preparing to load cargo; a Ka-52 attack helicopter was being dismantled and parts of an S-400 air defense unit were being prepared for transport.
Ominous signs: Ka-52 attack helicopter is being dismantled at the base ? @Maxar pic.twitter.com/tmOgvKgVwb
— Ankiit Koomar (@AnkiitKoomar) December 14, 2024
But it’s not yet clear whether the withdrawal will be permanent. Meantime, Moscow has begun moving its naval assets to Libya, its only other option for a Mediterranean Sea port. Russia uses such ports to transport ordnance and other items to the African continent.
#Mali?? – A 3rd flight of Russia's?? Ministry for Emergency Situations (MChS) arrived this morning in Bamako from Al Khadim??. The Il-76TD reg. (RA-76845 | #152C2D) parked at the apron of Base Aérienne 101 de Senou. DM me pls if you have any additional info regarding the "cargo". https://t.co/FCRyY3nGIs pic.twitter.com/f40sHPN5xS
— Fabian (@fabsenbln) December 17, 2024
Satellite imagery and flight records indicate Russian-registered cargo planes arrived at Libya’s al-Khadim base at least seven times in less than a week.
“We must maintain contact with those who are controlling the situation on the ground because, as I mentioned, we have facilities and personnel there,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a briefing last week.
