Russia Withdraws Assets from Syria Amid Regime Collapse
Russia has started to remove its military and naval assets from Syria as the country’s President Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapses. This was reported by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR.
The withdrawal comes as rebels advance towards Syria’s coastal provinces, including Latakia, Hama, and Tartus, where Russian military bases are located. The HUR agency said that two Russian ships, the frigate “Admiral Grygorovych” and the cargo ship “Inzhenier Trubin”, were withdrawn from the Tartus Naval Base.
Russian military planes have also been transferring weapons and equipment from the Khmeimim Air Base. The HUR agency claimed that losing these bases would be a significant blow to Russia’s presence in the Middle East and mark its defeat in the region.
Russia has long supported Assad’s regime, maintaining a strong military presence in Syria through various facilities across the country. However, this stability was disrupted by a rebel offensive in late November, which led to the collapse of the regime within just a couple of weeks.
The withdrawal of Russian assets from Syria comes as rebels advance on the country’s capital, Damascus. The situation is developing rapidly, and it remains to be seen what impact Russia’s decision will have on the region.