MOSCOW – Russia is close to reaching a deal with Syria’s new leaders to keep two vital military bases in the Middle Eastern state, a key Kremlin objective after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Talks are underway for Russian forces to remain at the Tartus naval port and Hmeimim air base, sources familiar with the matter in Moscow, Europe and the Middle East said, asking not to be identified because the question is sensitive.

The Defense Ministry in Moscow believes it has reached an informal agreement with Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the former al-Qaeda branch that led the offensive to oust Mr. Assad, that he can stay in Syrian bases, the Russian source said. . The situation could still change in the context of instability in Syria, the source warned.

It was not immediately possible to verify this information with officials of the transitional government in Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The naval base is Russia’s only hub on the Mediterranean Sea. The airfield is used to supply Russia’s security operations in Africa, allowing it to project political and economic influence and restore some of Moscow’s authority on the continent during the Cold War.

The Kremlin sent Mr. Assad and his family into exile in Russia this weekend after convincing the Syrian dictator that he had lost the war against rebel groups descending on the capital, Damascus.

The regime’s collapse effectively rendered worthless the 49-year leases for the bases granted to Russia in 2017, two years after President Putin sent his army to bolster Mr. Assad’s forces and push back ISIS fighters. ‘opposition. BLOOMBERG

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