Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk17/2021

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at noon of May 01

Weekly Brief

Limited naval activity was observed by the Russian task force with most vessel still in harbor at the end of week. One Improved Kilo class submarine was not in port on April 30 and is most likely conduction training in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Daily Events

April 25
Oil tanker Yaz transited the Bosporus during the early morning hours and headed towards the Black Sea [1]. The vessel is heading from Baniyas, Syria, towards the port of Kavkaz

Ropucha class LST RFS Novocherkassk transited the Bosporus around 0530Z and returned to the Black Sea [2].

April 26
Oil tanker Sig passed through the Bosporus during early morning and headed into the Black Sea [3]. The vessel departed Baniyas in Tartus and is heading towards the Russian port of Kavkaz.

April 28
Intelligence collection vessel Vasiliy Tatishchev is reported in the Port of Sudan with the Amur class repair vessel PM-138 expected to arrive during the morning hours [4].

April 30
Several Russian warships were seen on satellite imagery of the port of Tartus. These vessels were identified as an Improved Kilo class submarine, the frigate RFS Admiral Grigorovich, a Project 21980 patrol boat and the Olemka class oiler RFS Iman. Buyan M class patrol vessel RFS Orekhovo Zuevo was seen outside the harbor [5].

Flot.com reported that a floating dock might be deployed in the port of Tartus, Syria, in 2022 in order to expand the repair and support capabilities of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean [6]. Deployment of such a floating dock would severely increase the repair capabilities at Tartus, which are currently only limited to capabilities of the Amur class repair vessels and shoreside repair facilities.

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