The interview came after Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov said early last week that Moscow will establish a permanent naval base in the Syrian port city of Tartus, home to a naval maintenance and support facility which was established by the Soviet Union in 1977.
Also last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified an agreement with the Syrian government that allows Russia to use the Hmeymim air base in Syria indefinitely.
The agreement, which was signed between Moscow and Damascus on August 26, 2015, had been previously approved by both chambers of Russia's parliament.
The document regulates the terms of deployment of Russia's air group in Syria.
Among other things, it notes that the Russian air group is stationed at the Hmeymim airfield in Latakia province free of charge at the request of Syria.
Speaking to Sputnik, Andranik Migrayan specifically underscored the importance of the Russian Aerospace Forces' base in Hmeymim obtaining permanent status.
"But the Syrian army has yet to regain control of the country's entire territory, which is why having a permanent Russian base in Hmeymin is of paramount importance to the Syrians," he said.
As for the creation of a Russian naval base in Tartus, it will significantly strengthen the position of the Russian navy in the Mediterranean, according to Migrayan.
"It can be called a drastic change because we have never had a full-scale naval base in the Mediterranean. Creating such a base in Tartus can qualitatively change the situation, and we will have a much more formidable position in the Southern Mediterranean," he said.
He also suggested that the news about the Russian bases in Syria will irritate Washington and could provoke hysterics.
"President Obama will be blamed for turning a blind eye to Russia expanding its clout in the region, from where Moscow may influence neighboring Gulf countries which are of importance to the United States and Europe as suppliers of energy," Migrayan said.
He added that Washington, which saw Russia as a weak nation in the 1990s, currently reacts angrily to the Russian President's drive to determine the interests of his own country and defend its interests.
In an interview with Sputnik earlier this month, editor-in-chief of The National Defense Igor Korotchenko described Russia's decision to establish a full-scale base in Tartus as a "powerful move."
He also said that the base in Tartus will provide a "reliable support area" to the Russian naval forces deployed to the region. "A full-scale base will help to improve logistical and technical support for our naval assets," he explained.
Along with the Hmeymim airbase in nearby Latakia, Syria, the base in Tartus "will enhance Russia's foreign and defense policies," Korotchenko said, adding that they will also help to "neutralize any threats."
