For many years, Russian soldiers at the Hmeimim Air Base in Syria could move freely in coastal cities. Their planes flew out to bomb groups fighting against Bashar al-Assad’s harsh government. But now, things have changed. Assad is gone, and the area is now controlled by a group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which used to be one of the enemy groups. These former rebels now guard the entrances to the Hmeimim Air Base and another naval base in Tartous, 60 km away.
The new leader of Syria, Ahmed Sharaa, wants to change the deals that Assad made with Russia. He is hoping for better terms for the naval base in Tartous and the Hmeimim Air Base, which are very important for Russia. Even with tensions between them, it seems like both sides want to keep working together. Russia is involved in Syria’s economy and military affairs, having been there for decades, especially since the civil war started in 2015.
Assad left Syria in December, going to Russia for safety. Now, the HTS group, which used to face Russian airstrikes, is meeting with Russian officials to negotiate terms for the bases. They discussed issues like Syria’s debt to Russia and the return of money that could be in Russia. While the U.S. and Europe have eased some sanctions on Syria, doing business remains tough due to ongoing restrictions.
Sharaa, during a meeting with a Russian envoy, asked for the cancellation of loans from Russia and brought up the idea of bringing Assad back, but this was not a major point in the talks. Russia is not planning to hand over Assad, and in previous meetings, they denied that any Syrian money taken by Assad exists. A senior Russian source mentioned that Russia sees the importance of having a friendly government in Syria.
Sharaa stated that the new relationship between Syria and Russia should fix past mistakes and asked for compensation for the damage caused by Russia during the war. The discussions were smooth, and a recent call between Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin was described as positive.
The rebuilding of Syria is expected to cost around $400 billion. Russia may not accept blame for the destruction but might offer humanitarian aid instead. The article highlights how the impacts of the war are visible everywhere in Syria, with many areas in ruins and shops struggling to survive. Russian soldiers used to frequent local shops, but now they only travel in convoys and do not linger in the area.
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