Syria and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding to convert two Russian military bases on Syria’s Mediterranean coast into joint training and capacity-building centers. The agreement, announced on August 9 by Syria’s official news agency SANA, covers the Hmeimim airbase near Latakia and the Tartus naval facility. These installations represent Russia’s only military bases outside the former Soviet Union. The conversion must be completed within a three-month timeframe, with civilian facilities transferred to Syrian control immediately. This restructuring represents the most concrete reshaping of Russia’s overseas military footprint since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
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