Russian lawmakers approved an agreement to expand the Tartus naval refueling facility in Syria into a fully-fledged naval base capable of harboring nuclear-powered ships, following the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria, RT reported on Thursday.The agreement will be in force for 49 years, granting the Russian Navy access to territorial waters and various ports of Syria. The territory of the facility can be expanded up to 24 hectares, according to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov, and the base will be able to accept up to 11 ships at once, including nuclear-powered vessels.
Russia will carry out the seaborne and airborne protection of the base, while Assad regime will be responsible for the land security. Russia will be able to deploy temporary mobile outposts beyond the base, if coordinated with the regime side, according to Sputnik.
The website also confirmed that the agreement between Russia and Syria is supposed to be in force for 49 years and can be automatically prolonged for further 25-year periods. It is defensive in nature and is not directed against other countries.
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