Russian ships return to base in Tartous, Syria ahead of expected withdrawal

Two Russian ships linked to the Kremlin’s military have docked in Tartous, off the Syrian coast, and experts have suggested that the planned evacuation of the facility has finally begun.

Sparta and Sparta II docked in Tartous on Tuesday. Both vessels have been sanctioned by the US and linked by Ukraine to transporting Russian weapons.

Analysts had predicted that Russia would reduce its military footprint in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime in December, which contributed to the civil war.

Large quantities of military hardware have been brought into the port in recent weeks and have been seen in satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify.

The footage appears to show dozens of vehicles and other equipment sitting in the harbor. The hardware appeared for the first time in mid-December Following footage of large columns of Russian vehicles heading north towards the base, indicating they had been diverted from other positions across the country.

The arrival of the ships coincides with reports in Syrian media that Russia has canceled the lease for the port. The new transitional government in Damascus refused to confirm the reports to the BBC, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked at a press conference in Moscow.

Tartous has been a key base for Russia in recent years, allowing it to supply, resupply and repair ships in the Mediterranean.

The Kremlin has expressed its desire to retain control of the base, saying in December that Russian officials were discussing a permanent presence with the new authorities.

Analysts have suggested that the Sparta and Sparta II – ultimately owned by Oboronlogistika LLC – a shipping company operating under the Russian Defense Ministry, were denied permission to dock in Tartous while discussions continued. The ships have spent several weeks off the coast of Syria in the Mediterranean Sea.

Marine tracking sites show the ships finally docked on Tuesday afternoon, after which their transponders were switched off.

The weather of the last few days has made it difficult to get clear satellite pictures. But images from the EU’s Sentinel radar satellites – low-resolution but capable of penetrating cloud cover – revealed that the ships were in the military part of the port.

so far, No Russian military vessels were seen in Tartous Since the fall of the Assad regime in early December. Earlier high-resolution satellite images showed dozens of military vehicles parked near where the ships are docked. Also nearby were cranes that could be used to load equipment.

Two other Russian naval vessels may also be in port, maritime analyst Frederik Van Lokeren told BBC Verify. He said the ships, Ivan Gren and Alexander Otrakovsky, could also be involved in an evacuation – a sentiment expressed by Ukrainian military intelligence to BBC Verify.

“With the cancellation of the 49-year lease, it has become abundantly clear to Russia that it can no longer expect to maintain a military presence in Tartous and therefore it seems pointless to stay there and further delay the naval evacuation.” added Mr. Van Lokeren.

Evacuating all Russian equipment will take some time, according to Anton Mardasov of the Middle East Institute’s Syria program.

“Over the years much more has been brought there than these ships and vessels can take,” Mr Mardasov told BBC Verify.

Meanwhile, there has been continued activity at Russia’s main air base in Syria, Hmeimim. Satellite images have shown large Russian jets being loaded with military equipment on several dates since the fall of the Assad regime.

Ukrainian military intelligence said Russian flights have transferred airspace from Hmeimim to Libyan air bases at least 10 times since mid-December. The Kremlin is already supporting the Tobruk-based warlord Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya.

Moscow has long maintained a presence in the two bases mentioned by Ukrainian intelligence — Al-Khadim and Al-Jufra. Dr Sorcha MacLeod, a former member of the UN mercenary task force, told BBC Verify that the facility was previously run by the Wagner Group.

He said the Russian Ministry of Defense has taken over responsibility for the bases through its new Africa Corps. The force is and is directly directed by Moscow He took over much of the early role of the Wagner Group.

Dr Macleod added that the deployment of Russian forces to the country “makes sense, given that Libya has become a major hub for African Corps operations and access to West Africa”.

Additional reporting by Ned Davies and Joshua Cheetham. Graphics by Mesut Ersoz.