Russian ships return to the Syrian Tartus base before the expected withdrawal

Two Russian ships linked to its military have docked at the Kremlin naval base on the Syrian coast in Tartus, as experts indicated that the expected evacuation of the facility had finally begun.

The ships Sparta and Sparta II docked in Tartus on Tuesday. Both ships are subject to US sanctions and have been linked to the transfer of Russian weapons through Ukraine.

Analysts expected that Russia would reduce its military presence in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime last December, which it supported throughout the civil war.

Large quantities of military equipment have been transferred to the port in recent weeks, and have appeared in satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify.

The photos appear to show dozens of vehicles and other equipment sitting in the port. Devices It debuted in mid-December Following footage of large columns of Russian vehicles moving north towards the base, suggesting they have been redirected from other outposts around the country.

The ships' arrival coincides with reports in the Syrian media that Russia's lease of the port has been cancelled. The new transitional government in Damascus refused to confirm the reports to the BBC, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also refused to comment when asked during a press conference in Moscow.

Tartus has been a major base for Russia in recent years, allowing it to refuel, resupply and repair ships in the Mediterranean.

The Kremlin appeared keen to retain control of the base, and said in December that Russian officials were talking to the new authorities about a continued presence.

Analysts suggested that Sparta and Sparta II – ultimately owned by Oboronlogicika LLC – a shipping company operating as part of the Russian Defense Ministry, were refused permission to dock in Tartus while discussions continued. The ships spent several weeks off the Syrian coast in the Mediterranean.

Marine tracking websites show the ships finally docked on Tuesday evening, after which they turned off their transponders.

The weather in recent days has made it difficult to obtain clear satellite images. But images taken by European Union radar satellites – which have low resolution but are able to penetrate cloud cover – revealed that the ships were in the military section of the port.

yet, No Russian military ships were spotted in Tartous Since the fall of the Assad regime in early December. In previous high-resolution satellite images, dozens of military vehicles could be seen parked near where the ships are now docked. There are also cranes nearby that can be used to load equipment.

Maritime analyst Frederic van Lokeren told BBC Verify that there were likely two other Russian naval ships in port. He said the two ships, Ivan Green and Alexander Otrakovsky, could also be involved in the evacuation – a sentiment echoed by Ukrainian military intelligence to the BBC's investigation.

He added: “With the cancellation of the 49-year lease, it has become very clear for Russia that it can no longer hope to maintain a military presence in Tartus, and as such, there seems no point in remaining there and delaying the naval evacuation any longer.” Mr. Van Lokeren added.

However, evacuating all Russian equipment may take some time, according to Anton Mardasov of the Middle East Institute's Syria Program.

“Over the years, much more has been brought in than these ships and vessels can accommodate,” Mardasov told the BBC.

At the same time, there was also ongoing activity at the main Russian air base in Syria, Hmeimim. Satellite images have shown large Russian aircraft loaded with military equipment on various dates since the fall of the Assad regime.

Ukrainian military intelligence said that Russian flights had transported personnel and military equipment from Hmeimim to air bases in Libya at least 10 times since mid-December. The Kremlin already supports the Tobruk-based warlord Khalifa Haftar, eastern Libya.

Moscow has long maintained its presence in two of the bases mentioned by Ukrainian intelligence – Al-Khadim and Al-Jufra. Dr. Sorcha Macleod, a former member of the UN Task Force on Mercenaries, told the BBC that the facilities were previously run by the Wagner Group.

She said that the Russian Ministry of Defense took charge of the bases through the new African Corps. Moscow directly manages the force He took over much of the previous role of the Wagner Group.

Dr. McLeod added that moving Russian troops 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. Drawings by Mesut Ersuz.