According to an anonymous military source associated with the Syrian government, the Russian Wagner forces stationed in Syria remain in their assigned positions, inactive but awaiting redeployment orders. This comes in light of the recent failed insurrection attempt by the commander of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Following Prigozhin’s insurrection announcement, his forces temporarily retreated from the Menagh military airbase in Aleppo’s northern countryside. However, following the insurrection’s failure, the forces returned and have been in a standby mode since then, a source familiar with the matter told the the North Presss Agency. These forces are primarily deployed to secure critical infrastructure, such as oil facilities in the Syrian Desert, which means that their presence or withdrawal does not significantly influence the overall situation in Syria.
In response to the unsuccessful insurrection, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin visited Syria to introduce preventive measures aimed at curbing any potential risks that the Wagner forces could pose to the country’s stability. The same military source reveals that a complete withdrawal of the Wagner forces from Syria is not expected in the near future, as the Russian command makes efforts to sustain the group’s operations without implementing drastic changes but also aligning with the Syrian military command’s objectives.
The Wagner forces are tasked with guarding oil and gas fields in the Deir ez-Zor countryside and phosphate mines in the Syrian Desert that were retaken from ISIS between 2016 and 2018. Furthermore, a contract signed in 2018 between the Syrian Petroleum Company and Russian firm Evro Polis ensures the latter a 25% share of the profits from the oil fields recaptured from ISIS, indicating the economic significance of Wagner forces’ role in the region.
Information for this briefing was found via the North Press. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
