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Syria Piles Up Russia’s Tanks—New Government Doesn’t Want Them

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Dozens of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles supplied by Russia to Syria over the past decade have been deemed unnecessary by the country’s new government, Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi reported on December 5.

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Photos published at the end of November show a large collection of armored vehicles from the former Syrian Arab Army relocated to a single site in Idlib province.

The facility now contains more than one hundred Soviet-era T-62 tanks, BMP infantry fighting vehicles, and other armored platforms, many of which were delivered from Russia during the war years.

An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia repeatedly announced these transfers throughout the conflict. In early 2017, it became public that the Syrian army had received T-62M tanks removed from the Russian military’s inventory and pulled from storage bases. The T-62M variant differs from the original design with additional turret armor and reinforced hull protection.

These tanks and BMP-1s were regularly delivered by sea to the port of Tartus, where Russia also maintained a naval base. The armored vehicles were supplied to replace battlefield losses and were widely used in combat operations.

One of Russia’s most advanced tanks, the T-90A, sits with armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
One of Russia’s most advanced tanks, the T-90A, sits with armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)
An aerial view of armored vehicles that were seized from the Assad regime by opposition forces in Idlib, Syria, on November 27, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

However, those shipments ultimately failed to prevent the collapse of the Assad government, which fell on December 8, 2024, after opposition forces seized Damascus. Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, where he received political asylum.

The equipment left behind at former government bases fell under the control of the new authorities. Footage shows rows of unused armor parked outdoors, awaiting an uncertain fate.

Earlier, Syria’s Port of Tartus officially terminated a 49-year investment contract with Russia.

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