Not pulling out? Russian soldiers in Syrian military bases wait for food, water

Russian soldiers at Syria's Tartus Naval Base and Hmeimim Air Base are reportedly waiting for food and water, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (GUR).

A Telegram post by GRU said the Russian personnel were experiencing problems at military bases in Tartus and Hmeimim and on ships anchored offshore in the Mediterranean Sea. It added that they were waiting for military transport planes involved in the evacuation that were supposed to deliver food.

"At the same time, on some routes, the Russians are accompanied by armed groups opposing the Assad regime," the GUR said.  

"Reports that Russian military personnel are awaiting additional food supplies suggest that the Kremlin may not plan or is unable to fully evacuate the bases in the immediate future," the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests.

Earlier, satellite images appeared to show Russian forces dismantling military equipment at one of their key bases in Syria. But, now the rumours doing rounds among Russian soldiers are that the Kremlin and an unspecified Syrian entity have agreed to keep up to 3,000 Russian military personnel at the port of Tartus and the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia.

The latest satellite images sourced by OSINT analyst MT Anderson on Sunday showed the Russian frigates Admiral Golovko and Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate still stationed about 15 kilometers from the port of Tartus. There was no hint as to whether any other Russian vessels were operating in the open Mediterranean Sea.

Russia, however, is pulling back its forces from the front lines in northern Syria and posts in the Alawite Mountains. Syrian media reports that Russians are retreating from the Tiyas airbase (west of Palmyra and in Homs Governorate) toward the Hmeimim airbase. Russia has also recently withdrawn its forces from several bases in the Manbij and Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) areas in northern Syria.

According to Ukrainian intel, some Russian soldiers were waiting at the Tiyas airbase while a Russian military commander attempted to negotiate security guarantees for the soldiers with military contingents from other unspecified countries.

However, sources told Reuters that Russia was not pulling out of its two main bases and currently had no intention of doing so. "Some equipment is being shipped back to Moscow as are very senior officers from Assad’s military but the aim at this stage is to regroup and redeploy as dictated by developments on the ground," a senior Syrian army officer in touch with the Russian military told Reuters.