Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk47/2021

Task Force Compostion

As reported by OSINT at noon of November 27

Weekly Brief
 
Several naval transits were reported in the Eastern Mediterranean with the frigate RFS Admiral Grigorovich and patrol vessel RFS Dmitry Rogachev presumably returning back to the naval base at Tartus.

Logistic vessel RFS Vitse-Admiral Paromov was observed heading towards the Suez Canal and back. The vessel could be escorting a vessel that arrived from the Red Sea. If so, the most likely candidate would be the intelligence collection vessel RFS Kildin which was last reported in the port of Oman on November 01. Though no confirmation exists that the RFS Kildin has entered the Mediterranean at the moment of writing.

Daily Events

November 21
Rescue tug MB304 passed by the Dardanelles and entered the Sea of Marmara. The vessel was seen towing the Project 21980 Grachonok class counter-sabotage boat Pavel Silaev [1].

Later during the day the Natya class minesweeper RFS Ivan Gobulets was reported entering the Sea of Marmara as well on an outbound journey back to the Black Sea [2]. The vessel is returning to the port at Sevastopol [3].

November 22
Rescue tug MB304, towing the Project 21980 Grachonok class counter-sabotage boat Pavel Silaev, was visually observed passing through the Bosporus and heading towards the Black Sea [4].

Baltic Fleet Ropucha class landing vessels RFS Minsk and RFS Korolev were reported northeast of Algiers, Algeria, during the morning. Both vessels were reportedly still heading east [5].

Natya class minesweeper RFS Ivan Gobulets was observed passing the Bosporus at 1100Z [6].

November 23
Rescue tug SB-742, probably escorting the frigate RFS Admiral Grigorovich and patrol vessel RFS Dmitry Rogachev, was reported 11 nautical miles from the Syrian port of Tartus around 1400Z [7].

Logistic support vessel RFS Vitse-Admiral Paromov allegedly left the port of Tartus [8].

November 24
Logistic support vessel RFS Vitse-Admiral Paromov is reported at the anchorage of Port Said, Egypt, around 1615Z [8].

November 25
Logistic support vessel RFS Vitse-Admiral Paromov left the Port Said Anchorage around 0500Z and was last reported in a position 63 nautical miles west of Haifa around 1730Z. The vessel could be heading back towards Tartus [9].

Popular posts from this blog

Russian Naval deployments during the Ukraine War

Image
March 17, 2022 At least six Russian warships were observed near Odessa. The warships maintained their distance and operated on the horizon. March 16, 2022 Several vessels entered the port of Sevastopol including the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov. The Bykov was rumored to be struck and sunk by a Ukrainian grad MLRS barrage near Odessa on March 07 dough this was never officially confirmed.  The visual confirmation of the vessel entering the port of Sevastopol undamaged indicates that if an MLRS attack took place, it did not struck the Bykov. Ropucha class landing vessel Kondopoga of the northern fleet allegedly also entered the port of Sevastopol. March 15, 2022 Several Russian warships and landing ships were spotted on commercial satellite imagery during the morning hours. The vessels were heading in the direction of Odessa.  The vessel leading the formation of landing ships appears to be minesweeper with her sweeping array deployed. During the evening, around 90 missiles were reported fir
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk20/2024

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of May-18 Weekly Brief A significant reduction in combat strength took place with the departure of Northern and Baltic Fleet warships as well as the Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo. This leaves the task force reduced to a detachment of the Pacific Fleet and the frigate Admiral Grigorovich.  The departure also included the two amphibious landing vessels, thus resulting in an end to maritime weapon shipments for Russian mercenary forces stationed in Libya. Daily Events May 11 Civilian oil tanker Okeansky Prospect entered the Mediterranean during the afternoon via the Strait of Gibraltar [ 1 ]. Weapons runner Sparta IV was anchored near Malta and would stay there until May 13th. Frigate Admiral Grigorovich was observed sailing near Sparta IV [ 2 ]. May 12 Logistic support vessel Vice-Admiral Paromov was observed entering the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar at 10.45 local time [ 3 ]. Russian oil tanker Vladimir Mon
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk36/2024

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of Sep-07 Weekly Brief Fleet oiler Akademik Pashin, most likely escorted by the frigate Neustrashimy, unexpectedly departed the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Their destination was not reported though several Russian interests are present in the region such as Sudan, Yemen and Iran. A long term Indian Ocean deployment appears to be unlikely since these deployments are almost always handled by vessels of Russia's Pacific Fleet. Improved Kilo class submarine Novorossiysk has been closing in on the Strait of Gibraltar. The submarine and her escorts could be entering the Mediterranean in Week 37. Daily Events September 02 Fleet oiler Akademik Pashin is reported 120 to 140 nautical miles from the entrance of the Suez Canal. The vessel is escorted by an unidentified frigate [ 1 ]. September 03 Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus confirmed the presence of Improved Kilo class submarine Ufa, frigate Admiral Grigorovich, Stere
Read more