Russian flotilla docks at Syria's Tartus port, contradicting transfer claims

September 11, 2026 at 08:14 PM2 min

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Russian military vessels have returned to Syria's Tartus port, exclusive images obtained by RFE/RL confirm. The docking contradicts official claims that the formerly Russian-controlled section of the port had been transferred to Damascus for civilian use. The flotilla includes the destroyer Admiral Levchenko and logistics vessels Sparta and Akademik Pashin.

Key Facts

A flotilla of three Russian logistics vessels escorted by a naval destroyer was first spotted off the coast of Spain in late August.
The convoy's stated destination was Egypt, but after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar the ships switched off their transponders.
Images obtained by RFE/RL made in early September confirm the flotilla docked in Tartus to offload an unknown cargo.
In January 2025, Syria's new authorities terminated Moscow's 49-year lease on the northern section of the Tartus port reserved for Russian vessels.
Syria analyst Ruslan Trad says Damascus needs to refill weapons warehouses largely stocked with Russian arms.

The Return to Tartus

One month after the announcement that Russia's bases in Syria would be transferred to Damascus, Russian military vessels have returned to the port of Tartus. A flotilla of three Russian logistics vessels escorted by a naval destroyer was first spotted steaming south off the coast of Spain in late August. The convoy's stated destination was Egypt, but soon after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar the ships switched off their transponders to avoid being tracked. Images obtained by RFE/RL made in early September confirm the flotilla recently docked in Syria's port of Tartus to offload an unknown cargo. The previously unseen images appear to contradict official claims that the formerly Russian-controlled portion of the Tartus facility had been turned over to Syria for civilian use.

Vessels Identified

Ships visible in the Tartus images are the naval destroyer Admiral Levchenko, the Sparta, a military logistics vessel, and the Akademik Pashin, a replenishment vessel designed for supplying other ships at sea. The fourth vessel of the flotilla, the oil tanker General Skobelev, is not visible in the image. The docking of Russian vessels backs up analyst assessments that cold geopolitical bargaining has enabled the Kremlin to hold onto its bases in Syria, even as official statements appear calibrated to suggest otherwise.

Geopolitical Bargaining

Syria's current president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, led a rebel group during the country's civil war that was frequently targeted by Russian bombers as the Kremlin attempted to prop up former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. In 2017, Moscow claimed to have wounded al-Sharaa in an air strike. Assad was overthrown in December 2024 and Russian forces evacuating out of Syria at the time were pelted with rocks as they departed strongholds throughout the country. In January 2025, Syria's new authorities terminated Moscow's 49-year lease on the northern section of the port reserved for Russian vessels. Syria analyst Ruslan Trad told RFE/RL that Syria's new leadership needed things only Russia could offer, including refilling weapons warehouses largely stocked with Russian arms.