After seven days and significant behind-the-scenes activity, Russia seems to have secured the guarantees it demanded from the new administrators of Syria and has decided to proceed immediately with evacuating its major airbase located north of Damascus.

Although Al-Saraa, the head of HTS and the forces that brought an end to the Assad regime, publicly declared twice in the last 72 hours that Russia could remain in the area, the Kremlin and the country’s military command appear intent on emptying this specific base and withdrawing from the region without delay.

The base housed fighter jets and combat helicopters

Yesterday, footage was released for the first time showing the now personnel-empty Hmeimeim base, which, however, currently houses over 15 Russian fighter jets and combat helicopters.

According to reports from international media, there is considerable activity at the base at the moment. These same sources indicate that Russia has received the green light to fly transport aircraft out of the base, but not fighter jets.

For the past 48 hours, Moscow has been leaking information that it has maintained open lines of communication with HTS to reach a compromise for both its air and naval bases in Syria.

The naval base was evacuated in the early hours

The Russian naval base was evacuated in the initial hours of the jihadists entering the outskirts of Damascus, while the airbase has been cleared of personnel. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that while its military personnel have vacated the area, they have not entirely withdrawn from Syria.

Watch video footage of the base evacuation process:

More Russian soldiers en route to Hmeimeim airbase pic.twitter.com/ZPrExCxNQ6

— Samer Al-Atrush (@SameralAtrush) December 13, 2024