A well-informed Moscow source reports to the U.S. Bloomberg news agency that Russia is on the verge of losing two key military bases in Syria. These two military bases in Syria have long allowed Russia to exert influence in the Middle East and Africa.

Russia is facing difficulties in maintaining its two military bases in Syria, which have been instrumental in extending its influence in the Middle East and Africa, according to an anonymous source in Moscow.

The Russian cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II have begun transporting military equipment out of the Syrian port of Tartus, Russia’s only naval base in the Mediterranean Sea, satellite images published by journalist Mark Krutov show.

Russia's long-held military presence at Tartus fell into uncertainty after the collapse of the Assad regime last month.

A delegation from the Russian Foreign Ministry travelled to Damascus for talks with Syria's new leaders on Tuesday for the first time since the fall of long-time ruler and Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad.

Satellite imagery shows clear indications that Russia’s increasingly anticipated withdrawal of forces from its Tartus naval base in Syria has finally started. Complete loss of access to the facility,

A "large amount" of Russian military equipment vanished from the Syrian port of Tartus with the departure of the Russian cargo ship Sparta II, an investigative journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,