Russia Seeks to ‘Buy’ Control Over Its Bases In Syria

Russia has started to strengthen its ties with the new Syrian government by offering support, as former donors have suspended financial aid.

The Wall Street Journal reported on this.

One of the first signs of improving relations between the two nations was Russia’s transfer of approximately $23 million in Syrian currency to the country’s central bank.

According to Syrian and European officials, Moscow printed the banknotes to support Syria’s struggling economy, while most other countries refrained from doing so out of concern over potential sanctions.

This financial boost comes at a time when Qatar and Saudi Arabia have suspended a multimillion-dollar tranche of budgetary aid, citing uncertainty over the U.S. sanctions policy toward the former Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham rebels now in power. Russia, however, faces no such restrictions.

The publication highlights that this support is part of Russia’s broader strategy to strengthen ties with the new Syrian government, as it seeks to maintain control over its military bases in the country. These bases serve as key points from which Russian forces are able to project their influence in Africa.

The private discussions reportedly touched on a wide array of issues, including billions of dollars in cash and investments in gas fields and ports, a potential apology from Moscow for its role in bombing civilians, and even a request for Assad’s extradition. According to European and Syrian officials familiar with the talks, the Russian delegation declined to address the request for the former dictator’s handover.

For the Syrian government, ties with Russia remain no less important, as they allow it to reduce its dependence on neighboring Turkey. Under Assad’s rule, Russia was one of Syria’s largest trading partners. At that time, Russian companies were investing billions of dollars in oil production from Syrian fields and processing natural gas for export.

Previously, the Minister of Defense of the transitional government of Syria, Murhaf Abu Qasra, said that the preservation of Russian military bases would depend on their benefits to Syria: “If we benefit from it for Syria, then yes.”

The country has begun to put some pressure on Russia, limiting Russian military operations in the region and offering Türkiye to deploy its military air bases in the country.

A month earlier, the Syrian army stopped a convoy of 30 vehicles carrying missile weapons that had set off from the Khmeimim Air Base the day before, preventing it from passing through the checkpoint to the Tartus base. After waiting for eight hours at the checkpoint, the Russians were forced to return to the Khmeimim base.

Meanwhile, Russian tactical aircraft continue to operate from Syrian air bases. Recently, France accused a Russian Su-35 fighter of dangerous maneuvers near its Reaper UAV during flights over the Mediterranean Sea.