Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk16/2022

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 vessel of the Amur class, was last reported east of Crete, Greece, during the afternoon [4].

April 21
Repair vessel PM-82 left the area near Crete and headed eastwards towards the Levant [5]. 

A Russian tanker, presumed to be either the Sig or the Yaz, was spotted on satellite imagery near the Syrian port of Baniyas. The vessel is delivering her cargo [6].

April 22
Amur class repair vessel PM-82 allegedly returned to the port of Tartus, Syria, during the afternoon [7].

Fleet tanker Vyazma reportedly conducted a replenishment at sea with the vessels of the Marshal Ustinov SAG located south of Crete [8]. 
Several NATO aircraft are believed monitoring this SAG [9].

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