Russia has found a way to keep its foothold in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, pairing a reduced naval presence at Tartous with a new commercial logistics hub. Under the plan, one of the port’s two berths would handle cargo while the other stays open to the Russian navy, Reuters reported, citing Syrian officials and project documents.
The hub, run by the Syrian logistics firm Rus Line alongside Russian companies, would open a regular route between Novorossiysk and Tartous carrying grain, timber, coal and steel — about 250,000 tonnes a month, starting in mid-July. The project was discussed when Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow in January.
Damascus is not united behind it. The General Authority for Land and Sea Ports called reports of a Russian hub “entirely false,” even as other officials push it forward. Syria is caught between an $800 million DP World concession to run Tartous, signed with the UAE in 2025, and its dependence on Russian oil and wheat.
Syria’s new government enjoys broad Western support, yet the man it replaced lives under Kremlin protection in Moscow. Through its base, its exports and its exile guest, Russia remains a factor Damascus and the wider Middle East cannot ignore.
