Russian forces are reported to have been withdrawn from Latakia governorate in the west of Syria and sent to the Russian-controlled Hmeimim Air Base on the Mediterranean coast, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported on Sunday. The troops are believed to have been redeployed and are on the way to boost Russia’s forces in Ukraine.

According to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, 30 Russian military vehicles and about 200 soldiers have been pulled out from military posts in different areas across Latakia over the past couple of days. Syrian activists told the newspaper that Russian soldiers also withdrew from bases in Aleppo, Khonaser and Manbaj.

According to the Moscow Times, an independent Russian newspaper based in the Netherlands, the bases have been transferred to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as the Lebanese Hezbollah.

It was the Moscow Times which reported earlier this month that several military units had been relocated from bases across Syria to three unnamed Mediterranean airports, from where they were transferred to Ukraine.