Kremlin officials are reportedly worried that the Russian military's two facilities in Syria could be at risk of being overtaken by the rebels who captured Damascus this past weekend, according to a report by Reuters.
The news outlet referenced social media influencers with ties to the Russian defense ministry, who voiced concerns about the potential loss of the country’s Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia Province and a naval facility in the port city of Tartus. These strategically important locations have played a vital role in Moscow's presence across the Mediterranean and Africa in recent years.
"They will try to inflict the maximum defeat and the maximum reputational and physical damage on the representatives of the Russian Federation and, in particular, to destroy our military bases," said prominent commentator ‘Rybar’ about the escalating situation. "In reality we need to understand that the insurgents will not stop."
The unexpected two-week offensive by opposition fighters, which led to the fall of the Russian-backed Bashar al-Assad regime, follows Moscow’s efforts to shift many of its combat assets to maintain areas gained during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This redirection of personnel and materials to Eastern Europe significantly reduced the level of support that Russia provided to the Syrian government, in contrast to the initial phase of its involvement in the nation’s civil war nearly a decade ago.
Experts have proposed that the only remaining course of action for President Vladimir Putin might be to engage in talks with Turkey to preserve Russia's position in the area, as several of the rebel factions receive backing from Ankara.
Igor Girkin, a former officer of the Federal Security Service who is currently incarcerated for his criticism of Russia’s leadership regarding their management of operations in Ukraine, shared a statement on Telegram. He characterized the Russian armed forces as "overstretched" and pointed out, "our enemies have naturally decided to take advantage of our weakness at the moment when we are busy on the Ukrainian front."
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