Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk34/2021

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at noon of August 28

Weekly Brief
The arrival of several large warships in the Mediterranean has significantly strengthened the Mediterranean task force. The arrival of the Steregushchy class corvette RFS Gremyashchy and Aleksandrit class minehunter RFS Vladimir Yemelyanov in the Mediterranean has been confirmed with both vessels spotted on the Sentinel-2 overpass on August 27. Previously these vessels were in the Atlantic Ocean but their transit through the Strait of Gibraltar was not reported.

Supplying this large task force could become problematic with the departure of the Olemka class fleet oiler RFS Iman. This vessel was seen on August 22 being towed back to the Black Sea which suggest a severe malfunction of the vessel that prevents her to operate under her own power. The arrival of the Akademik Pashin and rescue tug Altai provide replacement capacity but it remains to be seen if these vessels could support several ongoing deployments as well, especially with three Improved Kilo class submarines still heading towards the Mediterranean and passing Gibraltar at the start of week 35.

Most of the incoming vessels are passing through the Mediterranean as they are heading to join the Pacific Fleet. However, given the end of the summer training periods and the large concentration of vessels in the Mediterranean, it is not impossible that a large scale naval exercise could take place in the first half of September.

Daily Events

August 22
Rescue tug Sergei Balk was seen passing through the Bosporus while towing the Olemka class fleet oiler RFS Iman. Both vessels were heading out of the Mediterranean [1].
Sergei Balk has been making a slow progress towards Istanbul since she left Tartus, Syria, on August 13. The reason for her slow speed is now confirmed as she must have been towing the RFS Iman since departure from Tartus.
The nature of the breakdown of the RFS Iman is unknown but seems to be serious enough that it could not be fixed by the the crews and engineers stationed at Tartus. Even the presence of the Amur class repair vessel PM-138 did not solve the problems on board of RFS Iman. PM-138 appears to have briefly met the Sergei Balk and RFS Iman when they were south of Cyprus on August 14 [2], possibly for rendering assistance.
The arrival of the fleet oiler RFS Akademik Pashin in the western Mediterranean means that a vessel is at hand to support the task force. Here again, it is unknown if the Akademik Pashin was dispatched to the Mediterranean in advance to relief the RFS Iman or if she happened to be the closest vessel nearby that could be deployed in the Mediterranean. If the latter holds true, than a new fleet oiler is expected to be dispatched to the Mediterranean in the near future.

Fleet oiler Akademik Pashin has been reported departing the Alidade Bank off Algeria. Her departure took place around 07:00 local time and the vessel was observed heading east, deeper into the Mediterranean [3].

August 23
Udaloy class destroyer RFS Vice-Admiral Kulakov, fleet oiler Akademik Pashin and rescue tug Altai have entered the port of Algiers and will hold a port visit unit Wednesday August 25. During their stay, the vessels will replenish their food and water supplies [4] [5].

Baltic Fleet Rescue tug Yakov Grebelskiy has been reported near the Dover Strait. The rescue tug escorts three Improved Kilo class submarines to the Mediterranean. The submarines are identified as the RFS Krasnodar of the Black Sea Fleet and the RFS Volkhov and RFS Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for the Pacific Fleet [6].

August 25
Udaloy class destroyer RFS Vice-Admiral Kulakov, fleet oiler Akademik Pashin and rescue tug Altai left Algiers, having completed their port visit. All three vessels headed east, deeper into the Mediterranean [7].

Training vessel RFS Smolny passed the Bosporus Strait during the night and headed into the Black Sea [8]. The vessel is on a training cruise and carriers several naval cadets.

August 27
Several Russian warships were observed north of Malta on the Sentinel-2 overpass of 0950Z. These vessels were identified as the Udaloy class destroyer RFS Vice-Admiral Kulakov, Steregushchy class corvette RFS Gremyashchy, Aleksandrit class minehunter RFS Vladimir Yemelyanov, Fleet oiler RFS Akademik Pashin and rescue tug Altai. All vessels were seen on a southeastern course [9].

Fleet oiler Akademik Pashin is reported at anchor east of Malta during the early evening with the Malta-registered supply vessel Diligence alongside [10]. 

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