Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk38/2022

Task Force Composition
As reported by OSINT at the morning of Sep-24

Weekly Brief

Additional naval movements keep suggesting that the Russian task force is standing down. The departure of the intelligence collection vessel Vasiliy Tatishchev on September 19th has decreased Russia's ability to keep track of NATO maritime movements while the presence of the fleet oiler Akademik Pashin near Cyprus suggests that the task force is once again operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Rescue tug Sergey Balk continued her westward journey towards the Strait of Gibraltar while escorting a Kilo class submarine. The submarine is presumed to be the Krasnodar which has been operating in the Mediterranean since August 31st 2021. The submarine could be in need of a modernization and refit following a year of operations.

Daily Events

September 19
The AIS signal of fleet oiler Akademik Pashin is reported south of Cyprus with the vessel being on an eastern course. It is most likely that the vessel is heading towards Tartus, Syria [1].

Intelligence collection vessel Vasiliy Tatishchev reportedly departed the Mediterranean by passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

September 20
Rescue tug Sergei Balk was observed on satellite imagery in the area between Sardinia and Tunisia. The vessel is on a western course escorting what is believed to be a Kilo class submarine [2]. The submarine is believed to be heading back towards Kaliningrad or Saint Petersburg to undergo maintenance after a prolonged stay in the Mediterranean. Though the identity of the submarine is not reported, it could most likely be the Krasnodar which has been the longest in the Mediterrean after having entered it on August 31st, 2021 [3].

September 21
The AIS signal of the rescue tug Sergei Balk was last reported north of Algiers and heading west towards the Strait of Gibraltar [4]. The rescue tug is escorting a Kilo class submarine, believed to be the Krasnodar.

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