What is the fate of Russia's Su-35 and Su-24 aircraft in Syria?

Defense Express analyzed new information about Russian troops in a key region.

Regarding the Russian military contingent in Syria, the current situation is as follows: the ground component of Russian forces is preparing for redeployment to Libya by sea, though some units have already been transported back to Russia. However, the status of the aviation component at the Khmeimim base, which includes combat aircraft such as the Su-24M and Su-35, remains uncertain.

Specifically, Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence reports in its latest update that several landing ships and ostensibly civilian vessels are heading to the Syrian coast to transport the Russian contingent.

It is worth specifying that the cargo vessel Sparta is the same ship reported on December 23 to have broken down en route to Syria to retrieve Russian military personnel.

Additionally, the data regarding Russian landing ships heading to Syria appears peculiar. For instance, on December 22, the landing ship Ivan Gren (Project 11711), part of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, was recorded passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Attention should also be drawn to a satellite image of the Russian naval base in Tartus, taken on December 25, 2024, and published by OSINT analyst MT_Anderson. The image likely shows a Project 775 landing ship, which may have arrived there in the final days of December 2024.

The presence of Yuri Albertovich Davityan, Chief of Staff of the 121st Landing Ship Brigade, aboard the Alexander Otrakovsky suggests that the Kremlin may be aiming to turn the sea-based troop transfer to Libya into a high-profile propaganda "mega-operation."

Regarding the Russian airbase in Khmeimim, a video from Al Jazeera dated December 30, 2024, has been circulating on social media. It shows at least 10 combat aircraft, including Su-24M and Su-35 models, stationed at the airfield. The footage also reveals several transport aircraft, such as Il-76, An-72, and An-26, along with at least one An-30 aircraft equipped for aerial reconnaissance.

It is worth noting that the Russian military at the Khmeimim base did not interfere with the drone flight that captured this footage. This suggests that the Russians may have already destroyed a significant portion of their documents. Additionally, it appears they managed to withdraw some of the equipment observed in satellite images from mid-December 2024.

Earlier, Defense Express reported strange details regarding the Russian military's withdrawal from Syria, as revealed by satellite imagery.

• At the Russian base in Tartus, warships are preparing to transport military equipment and weapons, some of which will go to Africa.