Hundreds of Russian troops are unable to safely travel from Homs province to the Hmeymim airbase for fear of attacks on their convoys. According to the Defence intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the Russian soldiers fear that they will be covered by fire while travelling along the M4 highway.
To ensure unhindered movement, some armed groups in Syria use the Russian flag on their convoys as a cover. At this time, Russian army colonel Dmitry Motrenko is holding talks with military contingents from other countries, asking for security guarantees for Russian units waiting in the area of the T4 airfield.
Also, mercenaries from the so-called ‘African Corps’ have appeared in Syria to protect Russian units as they move from the Syrian hinterland to bases on the coast.
According to the DIU, on 13 December 2024, about a thousand Russian troops left Damascus and headed for Tartus and Khmeimim. To continue the evacuation of the aggressor state, it is planned to involve at least 25 military transport aircraft to transfer troops, equipment and weapons from Khmeimim to Rostov-on-Don, Chkalovsk and Vladivostok.