Syria and Russia have reached a memorandum of understanding to reorganise Russia's presence at the Khmeimim and Tartus bases in western Syria following about 18 months of negotiations, the Syrian foreign ministry said.
Under the memorandum, Syria will assume management of civilian facilities, including Khmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial berth at Tartus port, and will gradually integrate them into the civilian administration system, according to the ministry's Media and Communications Directorate, as cited by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Military bases and facilities will undergo a functional transformation, with the two sides agreeing to convert them into joint training and qualification centres under new arrangements designed to preserve their mutual interests.
The memorandum sets a maximum three-month timeframe to complete the transition, after which the new arrangements will take effect, the ministry said.
It described the agreement as “the most significant development” since negotiations began about a year and a half ago, saying it opens the way for a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations.
Syria's General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs said in a statement that under the deal, the Syrian side would take over commercial sites previously operated by Russia at Tartus port, including Berth No. 4, warehouses and associated facilities.
Following the announcement, Syrian Civil Aviation and Air Transport Authority head Omar al-Hosary said on X that the authority had taken control of Latakia International Airport in western Syria and begun technical and operational assessments of its facilities and systems ahead of preparing a rehabilitation plan and restoring the airport to operational readiness.
Assad-era
Hmeimim, in Latakia province, began as a small civilian airport before Russia converted it into a fully equipped military air base in mid-2015 and made it the main hub for its air operations in Syria.
In October 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an agreement with the deposed regime of Bashar al Assad granting Moscow indefinite and free use of the base.
Russia's military presence there dates to 1971, when Moscow established a small technical and logistical support facility.
The site was later expanded into a naval base following a 2017 agreement granting Moscow a free 49-year lease, automatically renewable for another 25 years.
The 2017 agreement gave Russia jurisdiction over the facility over the leased area and allowed it to accommodate up to 11 warships simultaneously, including nuclear-powered vessels and submarines.
Russia provided military and political support to Assad's regime even as it violently suppressed popular opposition from 2011 until 2024.
Assad finally fled to Russia on December 8, 2024.
An administration led by President Ahmed al Sharaa was formed in January 2025 and has been praised widely for taking steps to renew Syria’s economy and politics as well as rejuvenating its foreign policy.
