Russia resumes flights to its bases in Syria after six-month pause, as Damascus and Ankara rebuild ties following the ouster of Moscow’s ally Bashar al-Assad.

Russia maintains two main bases in Syria: the Hmeimim Air Base in Latakia governorate (on Syria’s Mediterranean coast) and a naval facility in Tartus (on the Mediterranean), along with a third air base in al-Hasakah (northeastern Syria).

Bloomberg, citing a source close to the Kremlin, reported that Russia has resumed flights to its bases in Syria.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed at least two Russian aircraft flying to Hmeimim in Latakia. The first, a Russian Air Force transport plane, flew from Libya to Latakia, then to the Moscow area on October 26. A second heavy-lift cargo aircraft has landed at Hmeimim three times since October 24, most recently on Wednesday, October 29, according to the data.

The agency noted that Moscow has relied on its bases in Libya to extend its military reach in the Middle East and Africa.

In addition to the air hub that serves as a key logistics center for Moscow’s operations in parts of Africa, Russia keeps the port of Tartus, its only naval foothold on the Mediterranean.

Russia’s Defense and Foreign Ministries and Syria’s Information Ministry did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.

The agency assessed that the loss of either of Russia’s bases in Syria would be a “major strategic setback for the Kremlin.”

On October 15, Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in his first visit to Russia since taking office. Al-Sharaa discussed several files, foremost among them the Russian bases and bilateral economic issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his ministry had made significant efforts to establish cooperation with Syria’s new authorities, according to RIA Novosti. He also told Sputnik that Putin, during his meeting with al-Sharaa, “discussed everything,” including the status of the Russian bases.

On October 28, Syrian Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra paid a brief visit to Moscow and met his Russian counterpart to discuss joint military issues serving both countries’ interests, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

The Russian Embassy in Syria published part of the meeting between the two defense ministers. The Russian minister said, “Our being here (in Moscow) again at the negotiating table shows that contacts between our political leaders and military ministries are effective and fruitful and hold great potential.” He added that the Putin–al-Sharaa meeting “gave fresh impetus to the comprehensive development of relations between our two Defense Ministries.”

Abu Qasra thanked the leadership of the Russian Federation and Andrey Belousov for organizing the Syrian delegation’s work in Moscow, saying, “The fields of our cooperation are of utmost importance. We are witnessing notable growth in our relations.”

Experts told Enab Baladi that four files shape relations between the two sides: security conditions in southern Syria and Israeli threats, arming the new Syrian army, shared economic interests, and the fate of foreign fighters hailing from former Soviet republics.

Al-Sharaa Climbs the Kremlin Stairs: Interests Rise from the Ashes of War