Russia renews military flights to Syria as it rebuilds relations with Damascus
Russia resumed military flights to Syria after a six-month pause, signaling Moscow's effort to maintain its foothold in the Middle East following the ouster of longtime ally Bashar al-Assad.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed Russian military aircraft landing at the Khmeimim air base in Latakia in recent days. A person close to the Kremlin, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, confirmed the flights had restarted.
The move came as Moscow sought to secure its military presence after months of uncertainty in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow during Sharaa's first official visit since taking office. The future of Russia's military bases at Khmeimim and Tartus, its only naval facility on the Mediterranean, was reportedly a key topic of discussion.
Assad, a longtime Kremlin ally, was ousted in December 2024 and fled to Russia, raising questions over whether Moscow could maintain influence with the new government in Damascus. Russia had previously maintained a military presence in Syria for years and deployed troops in 2015 to support Assad's brutal crackdown on anti-government forces.
Despite Moscow's backing of Assad, Sharaa has said he intends to maintain a stable relationship with Russia.
At the same time, Sharaa has sought broader diplomatic outreach. The new Syrian leader, who took power after leading the forces that toppled Assad, has met several world leaders this year, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called for lifting sanctions on Syria.
Ukraine and Syria also restored relations in September during the U.N. General Assembly after Sharaa met President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
