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Kremlin has not indicated whether or not it can comply with al-Sharaa’s repeated requests for Bashar al-Assad’s extradition.
Revealed On 28 Jan 2026
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is assembly Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow because the latter seeks to safe a army presence within the nation following the toppling of former Kremlin ally Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed forward of Wednesday’s assembly that talks would give attention to “the presence of our troopers in Syria”, who’re positioned on the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
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Earlier this week, the Kremlin reportedly withdrew its forces from the Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeast Syria, leaving it with solely its two Mediterranean bases – now its solely army outposts exterior the previous Soviet Union.
Moscow has been working to construct relations with al-Sharaa since his insurgent forces toppled longtime ruler al-Assad in December 2024, aiming to make sure its continued army presence within the nation, which serves to bolster its affect within the Center East.
Pragmatic strategy
Regardless of Putin’s backing of al-Assad with in depth army help, the brand new rulers in Damascus have taken a realistic strategy to relations with Russia, permitting Moscow to retain a presence at its air and naval bases.
Al-Sharaa struck a conciliatory tone throughout his first visit to the Kremlin in October, however Russia’s sheltering of al-Assad and his spouse, who fled to Moscow after the insurgent rebellion, stays a thorny challenge.
Peskov declined to point whether or not the Kremlin would comply with al-Sharaa’s repeated requests for the previous president’s extradition.
Putin can be particularly eager to take care of his nation’s presence in Syria, having misplaced one other ally this month, when the USA despatched particular forces to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The US, which cheered al-Assad’s demise, has fostered ever-warmer ties with al-Sharaa, most lately throughout fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the army.
A fragile ceasefire is now in place and has been largely holding.
