Russia is getting ready to fully withdraw its forces from navy bases in Syria, a memo by Germany’s Defense Ministry claimed Friday.
Russia’s Mediterranean Sea unit had already left its base at Tartus on the Syrian coast, it notes. Security ensures from the nation’s new rulers in all probability lengthen solely to the withdrawal of Russian forces and “not to their long-term stay,” the memo says.
Russia’s navy airbase at Hemeimeem, to the south of town of Latakia, and the bottom on the port at Tartus have up to now been used to service a logistics hub in Libya for Russian forces in Africa.
The lack of Hemeimeem would in all probability hit air transports from Russia to Libya, because the plane will be capable to transport much less on the longer route, the evaluation by the German Defense Ministry predicts.
Transports of heavy items and not using a staging base would solely be potential with continued Turkish overflight rights. “These are seen critically by NATO,” the memo notes.
While the lack of the Syrian bases would have an effect on Russian logistics to and from Africa within the quick to medium time period, Russia’s present navy engagements in Africa is not going to be “significantly impacted in principle,” it says.
Tartus has thus far been the only real Russian base within the jap Mediterranean, and its loss will in all probability have a destructive impact on a dependable Russian navy presence within the area, the memo says.
It provides that with out an settlement with the brand new rulers in Syria, Russia may have solely “restricted maintenance of a maritime presence in the Mediterranean Sea.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com