Amid profound political and military changes in Syria, evidence has emerged of a mass withdrawal of Russian troops. The Times correspondent Samir Al-Atroush published videos confirming the movement of columns of Russian troops heading to the Khmeimim base in Latakia province. One soldier said in an interview: “We are going home to Russia.” 

The situation at the Russian naval base in Tartus, Moscow's key facility in the Mediterranean, also raises questions. According to Al-Atrush, soldiers at the entrance react to civilians, prohibiting them from approaching the base. Moreover, the journalist reported that fighters from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia - editor's note) are currently guarding the base.

It also became known that Russian troops had previously left bases in northern Syria - in Manbij and Kobani. The first of them was handed over to Moscow in 2019 after the departure of the American military. 

The journalist reports that the withdrawal of Russian troops is accompanied by intense activity of Il-76 cargo planes, which are transporting equipment and personnel from the Khmeimim airbase. This indicates that the Russian military mission in Syria, which began in 2015, is about to end.  

Let us recall that the naval base in Tartus has been a key strategic facility for Russia in the region since 1971. Now, according to TASS, Moscow is negotiating with the new Syrian authorities on maintaining its military presence. However, current events cast doubt on the prospects of these negotiations.