Reports suggest a potential redeployment of Russian forces in southern Syria, particularly in Suwayda, as Damascus seeks to re-establish a security partnership with Moscow following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. A Syrian delegation — including Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra — visited Moscow in late July 2025, where they expressed interest in resuming Russian military police patrols to help stabilise the south and deter Israeli incursions, according to Kommersant (11 August 2025).
The Syrian government is attempting to quell unrest in Suwayda, where government-led military operations since 14 July have resulted in the displacement of 170,000 people and the deaths of 1,677, with 450 individuals still missing, including women and children. Damascus views a renewed Russian presence as a potential deterrent against Israeli airstrikes, which Tel Aviv argues are aimed at protecting the Druze community and maintaining control over the Golan Heights buffer zone. Israel has shown conditional flexibility, in line with its ongoing security arrangements with Moscow.
Russia’s main strategic concern remains the retention of its military foothold at the Hmeimim airbase and Tartous naval facility — key to its regional influence — as noted by Dr Ola Shahoud. Syrian researcher Radwan al-Atrash highlighted the historical depth of military ties between the two nations and Russia’s potential role in reviving the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which previously restricted Israeli operations in the area. Turkish involvement in facilitating the Moscow talks indicates a degree of regional coordination.
Moscow’s recent military patrols in Qamishli further signal its renewed interest in Syria’s security affairs. International pressure — including a recent United Nations report condemning the violence in Suwayda — has added urgency to Damascus’s bid for Russian support. The rekindling of the Russian-Syrian security alliance, built on mutual strategic interests, could reshape the post-Assad security landscape, balancing Syrian sovereignty with the region’s shifting power dynamics.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
