The British Defense Ministry reported in its intelligence update on 21 January that Russia’s presence and operations in the Eastern Mediterranean have been severely strained following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Russia’s sole Mediterranean naval base in Tartus, Syria, received significant equipment transfers after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. However, Russian navy ships have remained offshore for weeks, reflecting uncertainty about their future presence and current status.
The future of Russia’s Syrian bases is uncertain amid political instability, but Moscow likely prioritizes retaining a Mediterranean presence, supporting operations in Africa, and mitigating reputational damage, according to the report.
The Ministry wrote:
- Uncertainty concerning the future of Russia’s presence and capability in the Eastern Mediterranean remains high. Following the collapse of the Assad regime, Russia’s former Syrian ally, Russia’s Permanent Mediterranean Task Group (PMTG) does not currently have access to its Tartus naval base for maintenance and logistical support. There is no comparable alternative base for the PMTG in the region.
- The future of Russia’s bases in Syria remains unclear whilst there is political uncertainty in the country. However, Russia is almost certainly seeking to retain a presence in the Mediterranean. Its ability to logistically support both its military and its Private Military Contractors in Africa, as well as limiting the reputational damage incurred through the fall of the Assad regime, will almost certainly be priorities for the Russian government. Russia’s intent to redeploy any forces or equipment to potential alternative locations in North Africa remains unclear.
- The Russian leadership almost certainly considers the Ukraine conflict to be their primary concern. Russia’s prioritisation of the Ukraine conflict likely degraded Russia’s ability and capacity to keep the Assad regime in power.
Earlier, naval analytics suggested that Russia might be planning to relocate its Tartus base to eastern Libya, potentially Tobruk or Benghazi.
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