To further cement Russia's long-term military presence in Syria, President Vladimir Putin reportedly tasked his defense and foreign ministries with obtaining additional land and naval rights from Damascus.  

“Putin has signed a directive tasking the Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, with holding negotiations with Syria on transferring more real estate and water territory to the Russian military's possession,” the Russian Interfax news agency reported today. 

As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s most important ally, Russia currently has two permanent military facilities in the war-torn country — the Hmeimim air base in the coastal Latakia province and a naval facility at the port of Tartus on the Mediterranean Sea.

Since Russia intervened militarily with air support in 2015, Assad has managed to retake much of the country from the opposition that seeks to oust him. Most recently, Russian warplanes played a key role in the regime’s assault on Idlib province, the last stretch of territory still held by the rebels after nine years of war.