Russia’s naval presence in Syria is collapsing.After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria’s new leadership canceled Russia’s lease at the Tartus naval base – its only major overseas military port. Russian forces have been forced to evacuate, and warships were initially blocked from entering the port. This raises major questions about Russia’s future role in the Middle East.In this video, we cover: Why Syria’s new government ended Russia’s Tartus lease How Russian forces are struggling to evacuate military assets The impact on Russia’s Middle East strategy Why this is Moscow’s biggest overseas military loss in decades What happens next?