Russia Expands Military Presence at Qamishli Airport: Report
Russia is quietly reinforcing its Qamishli airport base with nightly flights, more troops, and new fortifications, according to Syria TV. The move reverses a prior drawdown, while Moscow calls its Syrian bases a "factor of stability" and a source of humanitarian support.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In a series of carefully executed and largely nocturnal operations, Russian forces have been significantly reinforcing their military presence at Qamishli airport in northeastern Syria, systematically upgrading infrastructure and increasing troop numbers in a clear move to bolster their strategic foothold in the region.
According to a report published on Monday by the Syria TV website, which cites an informed source on the ground, these enhancements are being carried out through multiple stages, often under the cover of darkness to avoid attracting attention.
The report from Syria TV outlines a concerted effort by Moscow to fortify and expand its operational capacity at the key airport. The source revealed that these activities have included upgrading the specific site where Russian aircraft are stationed, as well as expanding the living quarters for both soldiers and officers in centers situated directly in front of the airport's main building.
The Syria TV website stated that it had obtained exclusive photos which visually corroborate these developments, showing Russian forces actively fortifying the perimeter where their aircraft and critical radar equipment are positioned by erecting new earthen berms.
The photos also reportedly show an expansion of the gate leading to the entrance of their position and, in a symbolic assertion of presence, the raising of the Russian flag over the airport building itself.
The logistics of this reinforcement are being handled with a high degree of discretion. The source detailed to the Syria TV website that two Russian cargo planes are flying regularly between Qamishli airport and Russia's main Hmeimim air base on the Syrian coast. These flights are primarily responsible for transporting soldiers, as well as a steady flow of logistical and military equipment, directly to the Qamishli base.
Crucially, these operations are often timed to take place during the dawn hours or late at night, a deliberate tactic, according to the source, to minimize visibility and avoid media coverage of their sensitive movements within the region.
This recent buildup marks a notable reversal of a previous trend. The source noted that the number of Russian soldiers stationed at the airport had significantly decreased in the period following the fall of the Assad regime. However, about a month ago, Russia began to once again reinforce its forces and positions.
The source provided an estimate of the current troop strength, placing the number of Russian military personnel now at Qamishli airport at approximately 200. Further security measures have also been implemented, including the closure of a site near the airport that previously housed senior Russian officers; these officers have now been moved to a new, more fortified location in front of the airport gate.
The report also mentioned that Russia has expanded the residential area for its soldiers and has moved its military vehicles from exposed areas within the airport to more secure locations inside the dedicated Russian base.
Despite the recent changes, Russia continues to maintain a significant operational capability at the airport.
According to the source cited by Syria TV, this includes a radar system that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as an aerial contingent of three helicopters and the two cargo planes that conduct the near-daily supply flights.
In a sign of renewed activity on the ground, the report noted that about a week ago, Russian forces conducted their first patrol in the eastern countryside of Qamishli since the fall of the Assad regime, an operation that was carried out with an accompanying vehicle from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
These on-the-ground developments are occurring as Moscow publicly reaffirms its commitment to its military presence in Syria.
On July 31, the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Vershinin, confirmed that official communications between Moscow and Damascus regarding the status of Russian military bases in the country are "still ongoing."
In a press statement reported by the Sputnik agency, Deputy Minister Vershinin stated, "Contacts between Moscow and Damascus regarding the presence of Russian military bases in Syria continue."
