Syria to Turn Russian Bases into Army Training Centers

Russian bases in Syria will be converted into training centers for the Syrian army.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced this during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London.

Overall, there are about 21 bases and 93 military sites and outposts across the country.

Of these, Russia had two main ones: the naval base in Tartus, which served as its only fully-fledged naval base in the Mediterranean, and the Khmeimim Air Base—the primary airbase of Russia’s Aerospace Forces in the country, where most of its aircraft were stationed.

“Out of dozens of bases, only two remain, and we are trying to turn them into training bases for the Syrian army,” the Syrian president noted.

In late December 2024, immediately after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8–9, Russia started a large-scale withdrawal of its forces from Syrian territory.

In the first weeks after the change of power, Russian troops quickly abandoned numerous forward positions, outposts, and auxiliary facilities scattered across the country, which in total numbered more than twenty.

The withdrawal was particularly active in the north, east, and the mountainous areas of the Alawite Mountains. Moscow focused its main efforts on retaining control over two strategically important facilities on the Mediterranean coast—the Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia and the naval base in Tartus.

Throughout 2025, the withdrawal continued gradually. Russia faced restrictions on movement beyond these bases, periodic blockades of the port of Tartus for certain ships, and overall pressure from the new Syrian authorities.

In October 2025, flights to Khmeimim resumed after a months-long pause, and during Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visits to Moscow in October 2025 and January 2026, the future of Russia’s military presence became a key topic.

Another important stage occurred in January 2026, when Russian forces started leaving the base near Qamishli International Airport in northeastern Syria, close to the Turkish border.

Russian forces had used this airfield since 2019 as a logistics hub and a point for monitoring the situation in Kurdish areas. The withdrawal began around the third ten-day period of January 2026, and as of January 26, sources described these events as having taken place over the previous week.

Part of the personnel and equipment was redeployed to Khmeimim, while the rest was sent back to Russia aboard Il-76 military transport aircraft. By the end of January, the base had effectively come under the control of Syrian forces, including units of the DSS during the transitional period.

Despite the significant reduction in presence, a limited Russian contingent still remains at the two main bases – Khmeimim and Tartus.

The exact number of personnel has not been publicly disclosed, but estimates suggest it ranges from several hundred to around a thousand troops. This mainly includes technical staff, security personnel, and a limited air group, indicating a substantial downsizing compared to peak levels during Assad’s rule.