Syria secures control of key Russian bases under new deal

Syria’s interim government has struck a deal with Russia to take control of two of the most strategically significant military facilities in the Middle East. The memorandum of understanding, announced on August 9, 2026, covers the Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval facility, both of which have served as cornerstones of Russia’s regional military presence for nearly a decade. The agreement is the culmination of 18 months of negotiations that began almost immediately after President Bashar al-Assad’s government collapsed in December 2024. What the deal actually does Under the MoU, both Hmeimim and Tartus will be converted from purely Russian-operated military installations into joint training centers. Syria’s government will assume management of the civilian infrastructure attached to each site, specifically Hmeimim airport and the commercial berth at Tartus port, within a three-month transition window. Syria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the timeline through the country’s official news agency. Russia had not issued an official public comment on the agreement as of the announcement date. Russia’s original foothold at these sites dates to a 2017 agreement that handed Moscow a 49-year...