Syria and Russia Agree on What Happens to Russia's Military Bases
On 9 August 2026, Syria announced that it has reached an agreement with Russia about the future of Russia's two military bases in the country. The deal ends eighteen months of talks that started after Syria's long-time leader, Bashar al-Assad, was removed from power.
Here is what the agreement says, according to Syria's official news agency, SANA, which quoted the Foreign Ministry. The Hmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval base will be turned into joint training centres. A training centre, in this case, means a place where the two countries' militaries work together on instruction and skill-building, rather than using the bases for combat. Facilities meant for civilian use will be given back to the Syrian government. The whole transition must be finished within three months. Al Jazeera and Reuters both reported the eighteen-month timeline.
Syria's Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, visited the airport at Latakia and the port at Tartous after the announcement, according to SANA.
These two bases are very important to Russia. They are Russia's only military bases outside the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union. Tartus, located on the Mediterranean Sea, is Russia's only place to repair its navy ships in the region. Hmeimim, in Latakia province, was the main base Russia used for its air force during Syria's civil war. Reuters
When Assad was in power, Russia had agreements that let it use Tartus for 49 years and Hmeimim for as long as it wanted. Those agreements became uncertain when Assad lost power, so Russia had to negotiate new terms with Syria's new government. Reuters
The deal came together over several months. In June 2026, Russia said publicly it was talking about changing how it uses its facilities in Syria. Reuters In October 2025, Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, told Russian President Vladimir Putin he would respect the old deals between the two countries. That was a sign Syria was not planning to kick Russian forces out entirely. Reuters Under Assad, Russia had also secured permission to expand Hmeimim with more land and coastal waters. Reuters
The broader context here is that Russia is shrinking its role in Syria but calling it cooperation. Russia is not being kicked out, but what it can do there is being scaled back significantly. Turning military bases into joint training centres means the bases can no longer be used as hubs for fighting wars. Russia still keeps a presence on the Mediterranean coast. Think of it like a landlord who owned a building outright now becoming a tenant in one part of it. For Syria's government, the deal is a win for its independence: it gets civilian facilities back, and the relationship with Russia is put on more equal terms. For Russia, it keeps access to Tartus for ship repairs, but with fewer privileges than it had under Assad.
The three-month deadline to finish the transition is short. Reorganizing two important military bases that quickly will test whether the agreement holds. It is also unclear whether "joint training" will become a real, ongoing activity or simply a polite way of describing a gradual Russian exit. The details that would answer that question have not been made public yet.
