Radar satellite imagery from Capella Space, analyzed by Ursa Space, reveals that Russian naval vessels are no longer present at the Tartus Naval Base following the fall of the Assad regime.

Located on the Mediterranean coast, the Tartus Naval Base is one of two key Russian military installations in Syria. The second is the Khmeimim Air Base, situated near the port city of Latakia. Moscow considers both posts to be highly strategic.

Radar satellite imagery from the Tartus site highlights the departure of three Russian warships in the wake of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's ousting by a rebel offensive.

The first image, captured on November 24, 2024, shows three distinct bright radar returns, confirmed to be Russian warships.

In contrast, the second image, taken on December 15, 2024, reveals the absence of these radar signatures. This imagery was collected just a week after Assad fled Syria for Moscow.

One of the ships that left Tartus was the Admiral Grigorovich frigate of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, according to media reports citing Ukraine’s military intelligence service.

The Admiral Grigorovich frigate is listed as 124.8 meters in length. In the November 24 image, one of the circled ships matched this length exactly, while the other two ships in the image were either shorter or longer.

Notably, the December 15 image reveals a concentration of material at the base’s pier that was absent in the earlier image. This aligns with other reports indicating the presence of trucks and vehicles at the site, as well as Russian cargo ships en route to Tartus to collect the equipment.

As the situation in Syria continues to evolve, ongoing satellite observation will likely play a crucial part in understanding the redistribution of military forces in this volatile region.