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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk20/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of May 21 Weekly Brief The vessels of the Northern Fleet have settled into a normal rhythm with regular training exercises taking place on board. Focus of these exercises were on damage control. Intelligence  collection vessel Vasiliy Tatishchev was spotted after an absence of four months. The vessel was last seen in the Central Mediterranean where it refueled from fleet oiler Vyazma. Vasiliy Tatishchev most likely operates as a first line of detection, registering NATO vessels moving from the western Mediterranean towards the eastern part. Daily Events May 15 Intelligence collection vessel Vasiliy Tatishchev and fleet oiler Vyazma were spotted on satellite imagery in the Sicilian Strait. The vessels are engaged in a resupply at sea with Vyazma refueling the Vasiliy Tatishchev [ 1 ]. May 17 Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov and Udaloy class destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov were reported at sea conducting a fire fighting exercis
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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk19/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of May 14 Weekly Brief The majority of the Russian task force remains near the Syrian port of Tartus with a small naval group comprised of a Slava class cruiser and two frigates operating at sea. These vessels are believed to operate near Crete as they have been in the past two months. There have been however no recent sightings reported near Crete, making it difficult to establish where these Russian vessels are patrolling. The arrival of a Russian tanker at Tartus, presumed to be either Sig or Yaz, is an anomaly as these vessels normally discharge at Baniyas. It is possible that this tanker is discharging at Tartus in order to directly supply the Mediterranean Task Force with refined fuel for future operations. Varyag and her group remained at Tartus at the beginning of the week. These vessels, Udaloy class destroyer Admiral Tributs and fleet oiler Boris Butoma, have been deployed from Vladivostok since December. In normal co
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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk18/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of May 07 Weekly Brief After spending several weeks at sea, both surface action groups returned to the port of Tartus; Syria, for rest and resupply. Their time in this area appears to have been relative short as the frigate Admiral Kasatonov was back at sea halfway the week. Daily Events May 01 Several Russian warships remain reported in or near the port of Tartus, Syria. The vessels inside the port are believed to be the Gorshkov class frigate Admiral Kasatonov, Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zueyvo, Alexandrite class minehunter Vladimir Yemelyanov, logistic support vessel Vice-Admiral Paromov and rescue tug Sergei Balk. The vessels outside the harbor are reported as fleet oiler Vyazma, Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov and Udaloy class destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov as well as fleet oiler Boris Butoma. Reported at sea are the Slava class cruiser Varyag, Udaloy class destroyer Admiral Tributs, Grigorovich class frigate Admi
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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk17/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of April 30 Weekly Brief A significant portion of the task force has returned towards the port of Tartus in Syria. The vessels involved suggest that at least one surface action group has returned. The presence of a Slava class cruiser, an Udaloy class destroyer and the fleet oiler Boris Butoma suggests that these are the vessels of the Pacific Fleet. The Udaloy class destroyer however is believed to be the Vice-Admiral Kulakov but this is not yet verified by other sources. Daily Events April 25 Several vessels belonging to the task force were observed inside and around the port of Tatrus, Syria. The vessels inside the harbor were identified as a Udaloy class destroyer, Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo, a Kilo class submarine, logistic support vessel Vice-Admiral Paromov and rescue tug Sergey Balk. The vessels outside of the port were identified as a Slava class cruiser, Alexandrit class minehunter Vladimir Emelyanov and t
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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk16/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of April 22 Weekly Brief No changes in the deployment of the task force were observed as Russia keeps holding two Surface Action Groups (SAG) near Crete. The SAG centered on the warships of the Pacific Fleet are reported north of Crete where they interdict the entrance into the Aegean Sea. The southern SAG is interdicting the approaches towards the Levant. Repair vessel PM-82 ventured out towards Crete, possibly for an intervention. With both SAGs being deployed this long at sea, the changes of mechanical breakdowns are increasing. Daily Events April 17 Amur class repair vessel PM-82 departed Tartus, Syria, during the morning [ 1 ]. April 18 Amur class repair vessel PM-82 headed westwards into the Eastern Mediterranean [ 2 ]. Fleet tanker Vyazma is reported in a position southeast of Crete and allegedly heading towards the surface action group centered on the Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov [ 3 ]. April 19 PM-82, a repair v
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Ukrainian Navy strikes Slava class cruiser Moskva

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On the evening of April 13 the Slava class cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, was reportedly struck by Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles. The details the attacks are unavailable to obtain through OSINT and in the 24 hours following the attack several pieces of information and speculation have come to attention that allows us to piece together the broad lines of the attack and its aftermath. The Slava class cruiser Moskva operated in the vicinity of Snake Island. This area has been her standard area of operations since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. From this position, the vessel is able to dominate the maritime approaches towards the Ukrainian coast, most notably towards Odessa. The cruiser is also equipped with a battery of 64 S-300F surface to air missiles, allowing it to set up an zone in which Ukrainian aircraft are at risk of operating. It is unknown if the cruiser was operating on its own or if she was near other vessels that acted as an escort
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Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk15/2022

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Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of April 16 Weekly Brief The supporting logistical vessels all returned back towards the port of Tartus, Syria, during the weekend. There presence in Tartus also means that no logistic support can be provided to the Russian warships still at sea and on patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean. Both Surface Action Groups are still presumed at sea with the Admiral Tributs presumably operating north of Souda Bay on April 12. The destroyer is part of the SAG centered on the Slava class cruiser Varyag. The second SAG has not reported but is believed to be in the area south of Crete were it has been patrolling for several days. Daily Events April 09 Amur class repair vessel PM-82 arrived in the port of Tartus, Syria [ 1 ]. April 10 The last AIS signal of fleet tanker Vyazma puts in inside the harbor of Tartus, Syria. The AIS signal was received at 04:27 UTC. Logistic support vessel Vice-Admiral Paromov was last reported in the Port of Tar
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