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Russia to build naval base in Syria

Vladimir Radyuhin

Move will increase Moscow's influence

MOSCOW: Russia is planning to set up a naval base in Syria in a move that will dramatically increase Moscow's presence in West Asia and shift the balance of forces in the region.

Russia has started dredging the Syrian port of Tartus, where the Russian Navy has had a maintenance station since Soviet times, Economic Counsellor at the Russian embassy in Syria Vladimir Zimin, was quoted as saying by Russia's leading business daily, Kommersant.

The paper said Russia was also widening the port of Latakia, where a new berth for the Russian Navy will be built.

A Russian Defence Ministry source told the Kommersant that a full-fledged naval base in Tartus will be used to redeploy some of the warships from Sevastopol, a naval base Russia

leased from Ukraine after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Ukraine, keen to join NATO, said the Russian fleet will have to leave Sevastopol after the lease expires in 2017.

According to the Defence Ministry source, Moscow was planning to establish a permanent naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea, forming a squadron of warships led by the missile

cruiser Moskva that will, among other things, "take part in naval anti-terrorist exercises with NATO members."

The Russian paper quoted its source as saying, "the facilities in Syria would allow Russia to expand its influence in the Middle East and to guarantee Syria's security." To protect the base, Russia plans to set up an air defence system consisting of S-300PMU-2 Favorit ballistic missiles, the Kommersant said. The missiles will to be operated by Russian personnel, but will also provide cover for a large part of Syria.

Russia has also agreed to beef up Syria's war muscle by supplying medium-range air-defence missiles, Pechora-2A, and upgrading Syria's fleet of T-72 tanks, the paper said.

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