Russia withdraws all submarines from Mediterranean after political upheaval in Syria

(Dan Tri) - After Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown, the Russian Navy currently has no submarines in the Mediterranean.

Image of the Russian Navy's improved Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk after leaving the Mediterranean on the night of January 2 (Photo: Naval News).

According to Naval News , the last submarine left on January 2. Only one nuclear-powered submarine may remain here, but Naval News said that this possibility is also unlikely.

According to Naval News , on the night of January 2, the improved Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk (B-61) quietly passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. Like its regular journeys back to the Baltic Sea, the ship moved on the surface. The journey of the Novorossiysk submarine was confirmed by the Portuguese Navy on January 4.

Over the past decade, Russia has maintained a steady presence of conventional submarines in the Mediterranean. The current permanent Russian naval task force in the Mediterranean was established in 2013 and is regularly deployed with one or two Kilo-class submarines, deployed on a rotational basis.

Regularly monitoring the movements of Russian warships, expert Frederik Van Lokeren noticed that although there are sometimes short-term gaps, especially at the end of 2023, in general there is always a Russian Kilo submarine deployed here.

These submarines are usually docked in Tartus, but none have called at the port since December 3, 2024. Most of the time, Russia’s conventionally powered submarines remain in port, even when deployed. This shows that Russia has difficulty maintaining a permanent presence in the Mediterranean.

Russia’s naval base in Tartus has been a key part of Moscow’s ability to project influence, both militarily and politically, in the Middle East and Africa, so the reduced presence of warships and submarines will certainly have a significant impact on these ambitions.

Moscow may seek an alternative location for its Tartus naval base. There have also been recent rumors that Russia is negotiating a deal with the new Syrian government to keep the base, but nothing concrete has been announced.

Other locations that Russia has considered include Benghazi, Tobruk, and Al Burdi, all in eastern Libya. However, no such agreements have been confirmed so far, and there is no indication that new construction is underway.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nga-rut-toan-bo-tau-ngam-khoi-dia-trung-hai-sau-bien-dong-chinh-tri-o-syria-20250106171629426.htm