Airbase Khemeymim: free and forever?

The air base Khmeimim is the first military facility in the 21st century in the region, which was previously considered a zone of influence of other states. And this worries other countries more than the bombing of terrorists in the desert. The planes are here today - tomorrow they are gone, and the Russian presence remains, and in which region? In the Middle East, where there are major trade routes between East and West. The air base of Khmeimim in Syria is not so much strategic as political importance for Russia. It will be discussed further.

Location

But first we will answer, where is the air base of Khmeimim. It is located in the territory of the province of Latakia in the east of Syria. A little to the south is the naval base in Tartus on the Mediterranean coast.

Military base or base point?

The agreement, according to which the airbase Khmeimim appeared in Russia, was signed in August 2015. This happened a month before the official bombing of the Islamic State banned in Russia. This is understandable: in one day such an object does not unfold. In fact, the airbase Khemeymim for VKS and Tartus for the Navy are not military bases, but temporary logistics centers with prefabricated modules. This is due to several reasons:

• Saving time. The construction of the base is quite a long event.
• Economic considerations. Temporary modules are much less expensive to deploy and operate.
• Political realities. It is not known how long the regime loyal to Moscow can last. And what will happen if B. Assad ceases to be president? Huge cash costs can fly out into the pipe with the change of power.

For all eternity?

Air Base Khmeimim, under the agreement of Moscow and Damascus, deployed indefinitely and free of charge. That is, there is no time frame for its use. This gave rise to many patriotic media to report that the base in Syria will be "forever", allegedly so spelled out in the agreements. In fact, this is not so.

The contract states that any party (if you think logically, it's Syria) can inform the other about the collapse of the base. And then within a year after the official address Russia must leave Syria. Although, according to President Vladimir V. Putin, it takes only a couple of days to turn off the modules.

As for gratuitousness, Syria will not pay anything to Russia for helping terrorists. But Moscow does not demand anything. According to the Russian leadership, we are interested in conducting an anti-terrorist operation in the Syrian Arab Republic. This is the so-called "strike against anticipation". That is, in Syria are many citizens of Russia, fighting on the side of terrorists. Their return is not desirable, since they will have to fight with them here, with us.

But Russia also does not make any lease payments for an airbase. In addition, no taxes are paid from our military in favor of the Syrian budget.

Everything is standard

According to some experts, there is nothing supernatural about the fact that the Russian base enjoys the right of extraterritoriality. This is a standard international practice, when one side asks another about military assistance. The military airbase Khemeymim (photo can be seen below) was deployed at the request of Syria, and not at the initiative of Russia.

In addition, all claims from third parties about our base of Syria takes over. This means that if a bomb from a Russian plane arrives in an apartment building, all claims must be sent to Damascus. This is also a standard practice.

Is history repeating itself?

Syria had close ties with the former USSR. Documents were declassified, in which the world learned about secret agreements on the supply of weapons. The famous Marshal Georgy Zhukov signed them from the USSR.

In 1971, the Soviet Union created a powerful squadron of warships in the Mediterranean. It was then that the material and technical point of providing the Navy in Tartus was used.

In Syria, military advisers from the USSR were constantly present, as well as an anti-aircraft regiment near Damascus in the event of Israel's invasion.

In 1981, large joint Soviet-Syrian military exercises were held in Latakia . At the same time, a treaty was signed, according to which, in the event of an attack on the SAR of a third country, the USSR necessarily enters into conflict. To this end, a separate grouping of about two thousand people from the Airborne Forces was assigned to transfer to Syria.

Perestroika in a relationship

Cooperation ended during the reign of M. Gorbachev. Then the USSR announced that the country will establish relations with Israel, the weapons will be supplied only at market prices. Then Syria declared about the curtailment of all relations with the Soviet Union, and after its collapse it refused to recognize Russia as the legal successor of the USSR.