Jets scream overhead and soldiers drop down into gun turrets - outside Russia's military base in Syria

I realized we were close to a Russian military base when I saw the names of stores, coffee shops, and pharmacies in Russian in the nearby villages.

The Russians have been stationed here since 2017, supporting the Assad government and managing the conflict with various adversaries. Local communities have also gained financially from their presence.

The main concern in discussions between Moscow and the new Syrian government seems to be how long this situation will continue, as they might not remain in power for much longer.

At the moment, what we do know is that Russian military convoys are pulling back from their bases throughout Syria and moving toward the Mediterranean coast.

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On a dirt road close to the primary Russian entry point of Hmeimim air base near Latakia, I spotted a procession of Russian military trucks making their way past shops named in Russian.

They included armored combat vehicles, transport trucks for soldiers, fortified police vehicles, and supply trucks, with some displaying the letter 'Z' – a symbol closely associated with the conflict in Ukraine.

However, this conflict has come to an end.

The Russian troops in the vehicles generally attempted to pay us no mind or just lowered themselves into the gun turrets to stay out of sight of the cameras.

A Russian helicopter gunship hovered above us, regularly surveying the region against the backdrop of clear blue skies, while now and then, it flew by a large white observation blimp, which is a familiar sight at major military installations around the globe.

Every now and then, jets would roar through the sky above, some descending for a landing while others were ascending. Meanwhile, massive transport planes moved back and forth along the runway.

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It's a bustling location, and it seems to be growing even more active—convoys have been showing up daily for the past few days.

The entrance to the civilian airport, which shares the runway, is currently protected by HTS fighters. They appeared at ease, lounging beside pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns in the back.

I inquired with a soldier on duty named Zakaria Harir about his instructions and whether they had communicated with the Russians present.

"The airport's location is crucial, which is why we were instructed to be present here," he explained to me.

"As troops, we don't interact with the Russians, but it's possible there is some level of cooperation between them and the national military council."

The future for the Russians is uncertain, but it appears that they are relocating to Russia's two primary coastal bases, including the Hmeimim base.

As you travel towards Latakia, following the same path that some Russian convoys use, you'll be struck by the overwhelming number of damaged or left-behind vehicles belonging to the Syrian army. This includes everything from tanks and rocket launchers to trucks, armored vehicles, and troop carriers. The sight continues endlessly for miles.

Many vehicles are damaged and pockmarked with bullet holes, showing that intense fighting occurred here, even with the quick progress of the rebels. While we were driving, we noticed flatbed trucks moving in to load up tanks along the main road.

HTS troops were operating bulldozers to load the tanks onto the transport, and it seemed that the tanks were functional.

A soldier informed me that the retreating tank crews from the Syrian army had either left the tanks behind or that the vehicles had malfunctioned. They were transporting the tanks to repair shops, explaining that some just required new batteries while others only needed an oil change.

It seems as though they are creating a new Syrian military by taking control of and repurposing the gear from the previous forces.

The regime has fallen, and the soldiers who backed it are pulling back. Syria is undergoing rapid transformations – just a week ago, it was engulfed in conflict.