Russia has resumed military flights between its bases in Syria and Libya, signaling a renewed phase of cooperation with the new Syrian government following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. According to data cited by the Italian news agency Nova, a Russian Ilyushin Il-62M transport aircraft, registration RA-86559, departed Libya’s Khadim Airbase on October 26, bound for Russia’s Hmeimim Airbase in Syria’s Latakia Province.
The flights mark the end of a five-month suspension linked to logistical adjustments within Russia’s North African operations. The Khadim base, located near Marj east of Benghazi, serves as a strategic logistics hub for forces loyal to Libyan National Army commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. It is a key node in Russia’s military network in the region, which Moscow has sought to expand alongside its presence in Syria’s Hmeimim and Tartus bases.
The resumption coincides with intensified coordination between Moscow and Damascus, particularly following Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s official visit to Russia earlier this month. During his October 15 meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Sharaa said Syria aimed to “reset its relations with Russia,” while Putin reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting Syria’s reconstruction and post-war stabilization.
Redefining Military Cooperation and Presence
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov met in Moscow this week with his Syrian counterpart, Marhaf Abu Qasra, to discuss military cooperation and the future of Russian forces in Syria. According to a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry, Belousov said, “Our presence here again at the negotiating table proves that contacts between our political leaders and our military ministries are effective, fruitful, and have enormous potential.”
Both sides reviewed the outcomes of the latest Russian-Syrian Joint Committee for Military and Technical Cooperation, focusing on practical measures to implement new agreements. Belousov described the talks as evidence of “a higher level of coordination and understanding” between the two countries’ defense establishments.
Abu Qasra expressed appreciation for Moscow’s role in supporting Syria’s defense capabilities, saying, “Today we are witnessing a remarkable development in our defense relations, and we are working to expand cooperation in a way that serves the common interests of our two countries.”
Strategic Continuity in the Mediterranean and North Africa
Analysts view the resumption of flights between Hmeimim and Khadim as part of a broader Russian strategy to integrate its military networks across the Mediterranean and North Africa. Moscow has recently invested in upgrading air and logistics infrastructure at the Matan al-Sara base in central Libya, reinforcing its operational depth.
Damascus, for its part, is seeking a new legal and financial framework to regulate Russian military activities on its soil. The arrangement would maintain Russia’s access to its long-standing naval and air bases while aligning their operation with the policies of the post-Assad administration.
