MFA: Russia's Hmeimim base provides lifeline to 8,000 Syrians fleeing violence

Russia has opened its Hmeimim military base to Syrians seeking refuge, with more than 8,000 people already finding shelter, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

At a briefing, Zakharova explained that the Russian Hmeimim airbase had become a safe haven for locals fleeing violence, Caliber.Az reports via the Russian state-run agency TASS.

"The Russian Hmeimim airbase opened its doors to local residents who were looking for rescue from the pogroms. They were looking for refuge, realizing it was a matter of life and death. Our military sheltered more than 8,000, that's the statistics as of yesterday, possibly even closer to 9,000 Syrians. Mostly, we're talking about women and children. I think this is the best answer to the question about our real contribution to the fate of Syrians," Zakharova said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, reports that thousands of Alawite civilians have fled massacres in the town of Jableh and surrounding villages. They have taken refuge near the Hmeimim base. Since March 6, when new Syrian authorities launched a major counter-operation in Latakia, Tartous, Hama, and Homs provinces, 1,383 civilians, most of whom were Alawites, have been killed by March 12, according to the Observatory.

Since March 7, those fleeing the violence have sought shelter at the Russian base in Hmeimim. Some refugees have also fled to the mountains for safety.

On March 11, The New York Times, after examining satellite images, confirmed that civilians were sheltering both at the Hmeimim base and Latakia International Airport.

On March 12, the AFP news agency reported that Jableh's mayor, Amjad Sultan, visited the Russian military base to urge people taking refuge there to return home. Sultan claimed that Syrian Security Forces had started to regain control of the city.

Some refugees sheltering at Hmeimim reportedly chanted “Russia, Russia!” and called for international protection.

The violence, which led to the current crisis, began after Islamist forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Since then, HTS has faced continued violent resistance from members of Assad's Alawite minority.

By Tamilla Hasanova