Putin Signs Law to Ratify Russia-Syria Agreement to Expand Naval Base in Tartus

The president's approval is the final step of implementation of the Russia-Syria agreement, which was signed on January 18, after the expansion of the Russian naval facility was ratified by the Russian State Duma on December 21.

On Friday Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the deal on the expansion of the Russian naval facility in the Syrian port city of Tartus.

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According to the agreement, Russia may simultaneously deploy up to 11 warships, including nuclear-powered combat vessels, at the Tartus naval facility. Russia will carry out the seaborne and airborne protection of the base, while Syria will be responsible for the land security. Russia will be able to deploy temporary mobile outposts beyond the base, if coordinated with the Syrian side.

Russia will have the right to renovate, rebuild and demolish the building, do construction work, including underwater, and set up offshore platforms.

The text of the agreement between Russia and Syria says it is defensive in nature and is not directed against other countries.

The agreement between Russia and Syria is supposed to be in force for 49 years and can be automatically prolonged for further 25-year periods,
unless one of the two states decides to withdraw from it.

Moscow has hosted the naval facility in Tartus since the 1970s and used it for maintenance of the Soviet fleet in the Mediterranean.

For over two years Russia at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar Assad was conducting an anti-terrorist aerial campaign in the country. On December 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria, stating that the Russian servicemen are returning from Syria "with victory".