Russia withdraws warships from Tartus base as Syria crisis escalates

Satellite images show that at least five warships have left the Russian naval base in Syria's Tartus, reportedly for exercises:

Russia is withdrawing its ships from the Tartus naval base as Syrian opposition forces are advancing in Aleppo province and surrounding areas.

If Russia abandons the Tartus base, Russian warships will most likely head to the Baltic Sea, stopping in Algeria or Libya. Retaining Tartus would require significant reinforcements, which may take weeks to arrive.

The Tartus base has been of strategic importance to Russia since the 1970s, when it was used by the Soviet Union. The Russian navy returned to Tartus in 2012 to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In late November, Syrian rebels launched a major offensive against the Assad regime from Idlib province. Within days, they had captured central Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, and advanced toward Hama, capturing dozens of towns on the way. One of the opposition leaders, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, promised that his forces would not stop until they enter Damascus.

The Syrian army announced preparations for a counteroffensive with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russian aircraft struck the Syrian opposition in Idlib, Aleppo and Hama, but the strikes did not stop them from advancing.

On December 1, Lieutenant General of the Russian Army Sergei Kisel, who led the operation, was removed from his post after the fall of Aleppo. He was replaced by Colonel General Alexander Chaiko, known for his participation in the fighting near Kiev.


Author`s name
Pavel Morozov