Khmeimim Air Base

Khmeimim Air Base (Russian: Хмеймим), also Hmeimim Air Base (Arabic: حميميم), is a Syrian airbase currently operated by Russia, located south-east of the city of Latakia in Hmeimim, Latakia Governorate, Syria and approximately 2 miles north-east of the coastal town of Jableh. The airbase shares some airfield facilities with Latakia Airport. The legal status of the base is regulated by a treaty Russia and Syria signed in August 2015. At the end of 2017, Russia said it had decided to turn the Khmeimim base into a component of its permanent military contingent stationed in Syria.

During the late stages of the Syrian civil war, following 2024 Syrian opposition offensives and the military offensive of a Turkish-backed coalition of forces organized as the Syrian National Army, the Assad regime fell and the Russian base in Latakia came under threat. On 7 December 2024, it was reported that Russia was preparing to evacuate its assets from the airbase. Russian forces were observed transferring S-400 and Tor air defence systems to their naval base at Tartus. On 8 December, Russian control of the airbase was under serious threat from advancing rebel forces. Bashar al-Assad, until then president of Syria, said that he went to the airbase after his opponents were closing in on Damascus, and that he was then evacuated to Russia on 8 December although he wanted to continue fighting. Later reports emerged that opposition "had no plans to penetrate" military bases, and Russia prefers to deal with new Syrian leadership.