Russian navy ships depart from base in Syria’s Tartus
- 3 December, 14:10
As Bashar al-Assad’s forces are losing ground in fights with opposition forces, Russia decided to withdraw its warships from the long-standing military base in port of Tartus. The navy base was crucial to support Assad regime but was threatened due to the fighting between opposition and government forces. Although Russian military insists that it is not a full-fledged military base, officially the facility is called a logistics support point for the Russian Navy in Syria.
A satellite image provided by Planet Labs showed that there were no large ships at the pier in Taurus on December 3, although on December 1, three warships moored at the pier closest to the exit of the bay. According to Naval News reports, one of these vessels, the auxiliary Yelnya, was noted departing Tartus on the morning of December 2 this year, with information suggesting that some or all of the other vessels also left. Yelnya is a Project 160 Altay class oiler, which is a valuable asset and important to maintaining Russia’s force in the Mediterranean.
It’s presumed that the submarine, frigates and another auxiliary also sailed out of Tartus. The naval base in Taurus is important as it is the only Russian naval facility in the Mediterranean Sea. Military experts note that the withdrawal of ships and vessels from Tartus may imply that the Russian command is not confident in its ability to ensure their safety. Russia state media earlier claimed that the vessels departed from Tartus base for taking part in military exercise.
