In the weeks since Bashar al-Assad was ousted as Syrian leader, Russia has launched multiple flights to an airbase in the Libyan desert. Moscow’s goal appears to be to find an alternative stopover for its growing military involvement in Africa – and a way to retain its military presence in the Mediterranean.

A military official at al-Khadim air base in eastern Libya said that a half-dozen Russian planes — some coming from Russia and some from Syria — had arrived carrying military equipment since Dec. 8, when Syrian rebels overthrew Russia’s ally, Bashar al-Assad.

Russia is transferring advanced air defense systems and military equipment from its military base in Syria to Libya.

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Russia is reportedly moving military equipment from Syria’s Tartus naval base and Khmeimim air base to eastern Libya after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

As Russia clings to its only bases in the Mediterranean — they’re on the coast of Syria — Ukraine is moving aggressively to displace Moscow as Syria’s main source of imported grain. Soon to follow are university educations, military drone technologies, and aid on investigating war crimes.

The transfer marks the end of an era when Russia played an arguably oversized role in determining which countries could operate in Syria’s contested airspace.

The Italian military tracking website Itamil Radar has reported the landing of a Russian Air Force An-124 aircraft at Al-Khadim Air Base, east of Benghazi, Libya. The aircraft reportedly departed from the Latakia airbase in Syria before arriving in Libya on Thursday.

Two African states are frustrating Moscow's efforts to establish a stronger military presence in the continent following the fall of Assad.

Russia appears to be moving some of its military equipment from Syria to Africa, where Moscow is expanding its military footprint.

Analysis: Assad's ouster has raised Libya's importance for Russia's foreign policy, with Moscow adapting to expand its strategic footprint.

The Khmeimim airbase in Latakia has been a lifeline for Russia’s expanding influence in Africa, from Libya to several sub-Saharan countries, as a hub for personnel deployment and resupply. Without the base, Russia will likely be forced to upgrade its military presence and infrastructure in Libya.