Russia and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding on August 9 to restructure the military arrangement regarding the Hmeimim air base near Latakia and the Tartus naval facility on the Mediterranean coast. The deal, reached after 18 months of negotiations between Moscow and Damascus, replaces exclusive Russian control with a joint arrangement with Syria’s new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Civilian infrastructure at both sites, including Hmeimim airport and Tartus’s commercial berth, will transfer to Syrian authorities within three months, while remaining military facilities will operate as joint training centers. The agreement follows the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 by rebels led by al-Sharaa, ending decades of alliance between Moscow and Damascus.
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