Russians evacuate S-400 and Tor from Hmeymim base

7 December, 2024 Russian Tor-M1 air defense system at the Khmeimim air base. Photo credits: Russian Armed Forces The Russian contingent at the Khmeimim air base evacuated air defense systems to the port of Tartus.

The video of the evacuation was published by OSINT specialist Mintel World on X. The footage shows the movement of two 5P85SM2-01 self-propelled launchers from the S-400 air defense system, as well as one Tor-M1 air defense system. OSINT analysts geolocated the video and determined that the equipment was moving along the M-1 highway, which passes through the city of Baniyas and leads to the port city of Tartus.

The location of the video is at coordinates 35.1799701, 35.9520314, but according to an OSINT technical, the evacuated systems were most likely used by Russian troops in Hailun, about 32 km southeast of Hmeymim. Nevertheless, the Russian troops' transportation activities in Syria have intensified, as evidenced by both satellite images and videos of the Russian troops moving away from the fighting, where the armed opposition is making active advances.

The latest satellite images of the port of Tartus show the presence of three ships there as of December 6: the Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the Project 11356 frigate Admiral Grigorovich, the oil tanker Vyazma, and the Warsawan class submarine. Comparing satellite images from December 2 and 6, we can see the absence of the following ships: the Project 22350 frigate Admiral Golovko and the auxiliary vessel Yelnya.

Activity of Russian ships in the port of Tartus on December 6 and 2, 2024. Photo credits: MT Anderson

In the port, ships are protected by two air defense systems, and the Bastion coastal missile system with Oniks anti-ship missiles provides protection of the port from the sea.

In general, the OSINT analysts note a decrease in the activity of the Russian troops in Syria, as evidenced by the low intensity of the Russian VKS's use of combat aircraft to hit convoys and locations of the armed opposition. Earlier, Militarnyi reported that in one day of the Syrian opposition forces' offensive, the Assad regime had lost a total of 93 units of armored vehicles, vehicles, artillery and other weapons. In total, of the weapons lost by the army of the Syrian Arab Republic, only five units were destroyed, and the rest, i.e.

88 units, were captured.