Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk30/2021

Task Force Composition
As reported by OSINT at noon of July 31

Weekly Brief

Following the departure of the four Ropucha class LSTs, the composition of the task force with regards to warships and major auxiliary vessels did not change.
As announced in Week 29, the rescue tug RFS Captain Guryev transited the Suez Canal and is heading to the Gulf of Oman to support a Russian Navy diving team during an international competition hosted by Iran.
Crane vessel KIL-158 is heading back towards the Black Sea. According to Interfax, the vessel is about to start her transit through the Turkish Straits during this weekend.

Daily Events

July 28
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the rescue tug Captain Guryev is passing the Suez Canal and is en route to the Gulf of Oman. There the vessel will support a Russian Navy team during a diving competition hosted by Iran [1]. The vessel arrived at Port Said around 10:00 local time [2].

July 29
Rescue tug Captain Guryev is reported in the Suez Canal at 0530Z [3]. The vessel has almost passed through the canal and is about the enter the Red Sea [4].

July 31
Interfax reports that the crane vessel KIL-158 is returning to Sevastopol after completing her tasks with the Russian naval task force in the Mediterranean. According to Interfax, the vessel is heading towards the Dardanelles and Bosporus and is beginning its transit [5].

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