Russia appears to be packing its helicopters and air defenses at its base in Syria, new satellite images show

• New satellite images appear to show the Russian military packing equipment at a key air base in Syria.

• The images show transport planes ready to load cargo at Hmeimim air base on Friday.

• Russia’s military footprint in Syria fell into uncertainty after the rebels ousted Bashar Assad.

Russia appears to be packing military equipment at one of its bases in Syria, new satellite images show. They are the latest indication that Moscow is reducing, or even withdrawing, its footprint in the country following the stunning collapse of the Assad regime.

Images taken Friday by Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider show two An-124 heavy transport aircraft at Russia’s Hmeimim air base. The front of the planes is lifted, indicating they are ready to load equipment or cargo.

Another image from the Hmeimim base shows a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter being taken apart and likely being prepared for transport, Maxar said. The company said elements of an S-400 air defense unit are also being prepared for departure from the weapon’s previous deployment site near the coastal city of Latakia.

Additional images collected Friday show Russian warships still missing from their base in Tartus, a port city south of Hmeimim on the Mediterranean Sea. Several frigates, oil tankers and a submarine were seen at the facility earlier this month, but by Monday they were all gone.

Some ships have been spotted several kilometers offshore. It is unclear whether the warships will return to Tartus; their presence at sea could be for security reasons rather than a complete evacuation.

The US has not confirmed any major Russian military withdrawals from Syria, but has indicated that some troops are actually leaving.

“What we’re seeing is a consolidation of assets, including some Russian troops leaving Syria,” Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy spokesperson, told reporters on Wednesday. “What they’re doing with their facilities and bases, that’s something they need to talk to.”

Analysts have also drawn attention to the latest activity.

“An increased number of Russian transport aircraft are now seen in Khmeimim,” Michael Kofman, a Russia expert and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said in a social media post.

“The S-400 battery is being prepared for transport. While tactical aviation is still there, RF seems to be consolidating in Khmeimim and Tartus,” he said. “In short, there is a retreat underway.”

Even if Russia removes troops from its bases in Syria, it could only be a partial military withdrawal and not a full evacuation.

The new satellite images come a day after Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as HUR, said Moscow was evacuating its bases in Syria and flying multiple military transport planes between Hmeimim and Russia every day.

BI could not independently verify Kiev’s assessment.

The Russian military presence in Syria became weak last weekend rebel forces captured Damascus and ousted Bashar Assad, the country’s longtime dictator. Assad has since fled to Moscow with his family.

Russia supported Assad in Syria’s civil war for years and in return secured a foothold in the country, but the rebels now have the upper hand. They control the province where Tartus and Hmeimim are located. The Kremlin is working with the new Syrian leadership to ensure the security of its facilities, but it is unclear whether official agreements have been made.

The loss of both Tartus and Hmeimim would be a setback for the Kremlin, which relies heavily on the bases to project its power across the region and beyond. Tartus is Russia’s most important naval base abroad, providing the country with crucial access to a warm-water port. Moscow uses Hmeimim to move forces in and out of Africa. That makes these bases strategically valuable.

War analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, wrote on Thursday that Russia “is very likely to hesitate to completely evacuate all military assets from Syria if it can build a relationship with the Syrian opposition forces and the transition period.” government and continue to ensure the security of its bases and personnel in Syria.”

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