Russia needs a military base in the Syrian port city of Tartus to protect its national interests, to neutralize threats, to improve its standing in the Middle East, to enhance its defense and foreign policies, as well as to provide technical and logistical assistance to the Russian naval forces deployed to the Mediterranean, experts have said.
Editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko echoed these sentiments, describing Russia's decision to establish a full-scale base in Tartus as a "power move." First and foremost, the base will help to protect Russia's national interests and improve the country's geopolitical standing in the Middle East, he told Radio Sputnik.
The Russiaт defense analyst also said that the base in Tartus will provide a "reliable support area" to the Russian naval forces deployed to the area. "A full-scale base will help to improve logistical and technical support for our naval assets," he explained.