The Telegraph: Putin may need ceasefire in Ukraine if he loses Tartus naval base in Syria

Dec 5, 2024 - 10:00

telegraph putin need ceasefire ukraine loses tartus naval base syria russia's med sea flotilla syrian port 30 2024 before its departure likely 2 including two gorshkov class frigates admiral grigorovich

Russia has begun evacuating critical naval assets from its base in Tartus, western Syria, as opposition forces make significant advances towards the Syrian capital of Damascus, putting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime under increasing pressure, The Telegraph and Naval News report.

The Syrian civil war has escalated as rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized Aleppo in a late November 2024 surprise offensive, delivering a significant blow to Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad. Opposition forces have since advanced further south as of now.

On 2 December 2024, Russia’s auxiliary ship Yelnya, a key refueling vessel for the Russian military, was seen leaving Tartus, according to Naval News. Satellite imagery showed on 3 December that all major Russian warships based in Tartus – three missile frigates, a diesel-electric submarine, and two support ships – had departed the port and entered the Mediterranean.