According to Kurdpress, according to reports published by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on April 28, 2026, two Russian military transport planes landed at the Hmeimim base in the suburbs of Latakia. This movement took place at the same time as a Russian military convoy entered this base. This convoy had moved from the Tartus naval base to Hmeimim.

According to the sources monitoring the developments in the field, a part of this convoy was sent from Hmeimim base to Tartus earlier on the same day, performed some missions there and then returned to Hmeimim again. These trips are considered as part of the logistics transfers between the two main Russian bases in Syria.

These moves come as international reports indicate that the United States will withdraw its last major forces from Syria in mid-April 2026, ending its nearly decade-long military presence in the country.

Observers believe that the void caused by the withdrawal of the United States can provide the basis for increasing the role of other actors, including Russia, Iran and Türkiye, in the Syrian equation. Russia currently maintains Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval base as its two strategic centers in Syria.