Russia continues to withdraw its troops from Syria

According to Ukrainian intelligence, part of the Russian military found itself in the open sea due to the breakdown of the cargo ship Sparta, which was used to evacuate equipment and weapons from Syria.

According to the GUR, the Sparta vessel experienced a technical malfunction while underway — a fuel pipe in the main engine failed. The crew is trying to fix the problem, but the vessel is currently drifting in the open sea near Portugal.

In addition, the Russian contingent in Syria is completing the withdrawal of troops from remote areas to two main bases — the Khmeimim air base and the naval base in Tartus.

At the same time, some of the weapons and equipment from the port of Tartus are already being transferred by sea to Libya.

GUR also reports that the Russian military is discussing a possible demand from the new Syrian authorities to Moscow for the complete withdrawal of the military contingent from the country's territory. This applies to the bases in Hmeimim and Tartus, and the deadline is set for February 20, 2025.

Such steps are likely related to the Syrian authorities' desire to achieve the lifting of international sanctions.

All Russian military bases in Syria may be closed

As stated by the head of European diplomacy, Kaia Kallas, some foreign ministers of EU countries insist that Syria be freed from the Russian military presence.

They believe that this should be one of the conditions for recognizing the country's new leadership. According to Kallas, this issue will be considered during meetings with representatives of the Syrian authorities, when they take place.

She also said that the EU had presented the rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad with a list of conditions necessary for them to officially recognize the new government and establish diplomatic relations with it. The European Union had previously severed all diplomatic contacts with the Assad regime.

Meanwhile, Russia is negotiating with the new Syrian leadership to retain its military bases in the country. These include the naval base in Tartus, which is Russia's only strategic hub in the Mediterranean, and the air base in Khmeimim, which is used for operations in Africa, where Russia exerts political and economic influence.