Photo illustration/Russia lost access to its only port in the Mediterranean Sea
New Syrian authorities have canceled Russia’s agreement to lease the Mediterranean port of Tartus. The agreement signed by ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was valid for 49 years. Port bases played an important military and geopolitical role. This gave Russia access to the Mediterranean Sea and the ability to monitor NATO activities.
Syria’s Sharm news agency, citing the Information Ministry, reported that the port authority canceled the contract and demanded the Russian company’s withdrawal from Tartus. “This agreement was concluded at a time when Russia was playing an important role in supporting the Assad regime in the war against Syria,” the agency said in a statement.
As added, the agreement signed in 2017 by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who stepped down in December 2024, was supposed to be valid for 49 years.
According to the canceled contract, one of the Russian companies was to invest $500 million in the development of the port, but the port administration believes this promise was never fulfilled, the agency reported.
As she emphasized, the revenue currently generated from the use of the port will “benefit the Syrian state.” In the previous agreement, Russia received 65%. Benefits brought by ports – noted the Moscow Times.
Syria. New authorities canceled Russia’s agreement to use the port of Tartus
Tartus is Russia’s only naval base outside the former Soviet Union, and has played an important role in Moscow’s military and geopolitical strategy in the Middle East in recent years.
The Ukrainian website United 24 reports that the port became an important logistics hub during Russia’s military intervention in Syria, allowed Moscow to monitor NATO activities in the Mediterranean, and sent Wagner Group mercenaries to Africa. He emphasized that he had played the role of a beachhead for the
As added on this website, the base in Tartus provided the Kremlin with access to the Mediterranean Sea and strengthened Russia’s military presence throughout the region.
See also: Russia has signed important agreements. This is how President Vladimir Putin wants to avoid sanctions
In British intelligence’s view, there is “no comparable alternative base to the Russian Navy” in the Middle East, maritime industry portal Maritime Executive reported.
Russian authorities have not commented on reports about the cancellation of the Tartus port lease, the Moscow Times emphasized
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