Russia · 26 August, 2026 · 3 min read
Putin And Ahmad Al-Sharaa Discuss Reorganizing Russia’s Hmeimim And Tartus Bases
Putin and al-Sharaa discussed reorganizing Russia's Hmeimim and Tartus bases under a memorandum. Kremlin said the talks covered bilateral ties, Syria's unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.
4 outlets, one story, no spin found.
3 of 4 outlets skipped it: syrian court sentenced Bashar Assad to death in absentia; extradition treaty issue.
4outlets compared
Putin calls al-Sharaa
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, during which the Kremlin said the two leaders discussed the current situation and prospects for further developing Moscow-Damascus ties.
“Both sides noted the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed on Aug. 9”
The Kremlin said Putin reaffirmed his “principled position in support of the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty” of Syria and emphasized “creation of conditions for long-term normalization and post-conflict reconstruction.”
Both sides highlighted the importance of a memorandum of understanding on reorganizing Moscow’s military presence at the Hmeimim and Tartus bases, with the Kremlin saying they noted the memorandum “signed on Aug. 9 on the reorganization of the Hmeimim Air Base and the Tartus Logistics Facility.”
The Turkish Today report said the memorandum set “a time limit of no more than three months to complete the process,” and that civilian facilities at both bases would be handed over to Damascus.
The Kremlin also said the two presidents agreed to continue contacts “at various levels,” while the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the deal would turn the bases into “joint training and capacity-building centers” that preserve mutual interests.
Assad extradition test
The Jerusalem Post framed a legal and political test around whether Damascus can use a treaty it ratified while in power to seek the extradition of former Syrian President Bashar Assad from Moscow.
It said the Fourth Criminal Court sentenced Assad to death in absentia on Aug. 11 in a case related to abuses committed during the crackdown on protests in Daraa in 2011, and that Assad has resided in Russia since the fall of his regime in late 2024.
The article said Syria and Russia signed a formal extradition treaty in St. Petersburg on June 29, 2022, and that Assad ratified the agreement that same year while President Vladimir Putin ratified it in April 2023 through a federal law.
Syrian legal expert Mahmoud al-Hammam told The Media Line that the agreement permits refusing extradition when the offense is punishable by death, but that the request can still proceed if Syria provides assurances that Russian authorities deem sufficient that the wanted person will not face the death penalty.
The Jerusalem Post also said the treaty does not make extradition automatic and establishes conditions and grounds for refusal, including considerations related to the prosecution and potential punishment.
Bases, control, and next steps
Türkiye Today reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited the sites Sunday “to inspect the facilities and installations included in the historic memorandum of understanding,” according to SANA.
“to inspect the facilities and installations included in the historic memorandum of understanding”
It said Omar al-Hasri, head of Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority, stated that the body was taking control of Latakia’s international airport, a civilian facility adjacent to Hmeimim, and that teams had begun “the technical and operational assessment of the airport.”
Al-Jazeera Net said the Kremlin statement quoted Russia’s TASS news agency as saying Putin and al-Assad affirmed the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed on reorganization of the Hamim and Tartus bases after 18 months of negotiations.
The Al-Jazeera Net report described Tartus naval base as Russia’s sole maintenance and replenishment hub in the Mediterranean and said Hmeimim air base has operated as a primary launch point for military activity and for quasi-military forces under Kremlin control in Africa.
In parallel, The Jerusalem Post said Syria’s Ministry of Justice serves as the central authority on the Syrian side and Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office performs that role on the Russian side, making the next step depend on whether Damascus sends a request and whether Moscow announces it has received it.