A Russian military convoy attempting to enter Syria’s Tartus naval base was denied access by the Syrian transitional government’s Ministry of Defence. The convoy, consisting of 30 vehicles carrying missile weapons, had departed from the Khmeimim air base in Latakia province but was halted at a checkpoint in Tartus.
The Russian vehicles were forced to wait for eight hours before ultimately returning to Khmeimim around 5:00 p.m. local time. Turkish media outlet TRT reported that the incident comes amid recent remarks by Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, who stated that the future of Russian military bases in Syria depends on their benefit to the country.
Table: Key Details of the Incident
| Event | Location | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Russian convoy stopped | Tartus checkpoint | February 2025 |
| Wait time at checkpoint | Tartus naval base | 8 hours |
| Return to Khmeimim | Latakia province | 5:00 p.m. local time |
The Russian military has used the Khmeimim Air Base since August 2015 under an agreement with the Bashar al-Assad regime. However, Assad fled to Russia with his family in December 2024. Last month, Russia began evacuating its troops from the Syrian port of Tartus, as revealed by satellite images published by Radio Liberty.
The images showed Russian cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II, operated by the Russian company Oboronlogistika, loading equipment and property. Military sources previously confirmed that Sparta II entered the Syrian port on January 21. The new Syrian government has also terminated an investment agreement with a Russian company that managed the Tartus port, which is Russia’s only foreign naval base.
Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2012, Russia modernised the Tartus naval base to accommodate large ships. The facility has played a crucial role in the Russian Navy’s operations in the Mediterranean.
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