With Bashar al-Assad gone and the rebels taking over, Russia was reportedly pulling back some of its troops and military equipment from Syria, as per satellite images.
Maxar and Planet Labs captured images of what is believed to be dismantled Russian helicopters, including a Ka-52 attack helicopter, and parts of an S-400 air defence unit.
Several large transport aircraft including two An-124 that can carry 150 tonnes of cargo have arrived at the Khmeimim air base to transport these military equiptment. The satellites also spotted other transport aircraft like three Il-76s, three An32s and an An-72 at Khmeimim, which is situated south of Latakia.
Russia has been present in Syria since 2015 when the troops were deployed to back the embattled Assad regime. However, with Assad fleeing to Moscow, Russia appears to be changing its strategy.
It is not clear whether Russia will completely abandon its naval base is Tartus, from where Moscow carries out its operations in the Mediterranean and Africa. Syrian media showed two Russian frigates off the Tartus base.
Russia's deputy foreign affairs minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the Financial Times that his country is engaged in constructive talks with the rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, to negotiate a peaceful co-existence in Syria and reached out to them with "friendship and love".
Bogdanov added that Russia set up its bases as per request of the Syrian authorities to fight the Islamic State and hopes to continue collaborating with the new regime to fight against what is left of their common enemy.
The loss of the sole Russian base in the eastern Mediterranean could prove costly for Moscow's logistics and if the new regime agrees, Russia could retain a restricted presence in the region, according to Deutche Press-Agentur.
