Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk44/2022

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of Nov-05


Weekly Brief

The increased combat readiness of the Mediterranean Task Force has officially ended. The Pacific Fleet warship were reported sailing south of Sri Lanka on November 1st and heading back towards their home port of Vladivostok. Given the transit time needed between Tartus and Sri Lanka, these vessels already departed halfway Week 43 at the latest. Their passage through the Suez Canal was not reported by OSINT, due in part because their escorting tanker, Boris Butoma, did not transmit an AIS signal.

The remaining vessels of the task force remain confined inside the port of Tartus with the exception of the Grigorovich class frigate Admiral Grigorovich and Gorshkov class frigate Admiral Kasatonov. These vessels most likely are at sea keeping track of the the US Navy aircraft carrier group centered on the USS George H Bush.

Daily Events

October 31
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus showed several Russian warships moored inside the port. The vessels were identified as the Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar, the Steregushchy class corvettes Stoiky and Soobrazitelny as well as the Amur class repair vessel PM-82 [1].

November 01
Slava class cruiser Varyag and Udaloy class destroyer Admiral Tributs were reported south of Sri Lanka as they are heading from the Mediterranean back to their homeport Vladivostok. The escorting tanker Boris Butoma is also reported south of Sri Lanka [2]. Departure from the Mediterranean most likely took place halfway week 43.

Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus showed several Russian warships moored inside the port. The vessels were identified as the Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar, the Steregushchy class corvettes Stoiky and Soobrazitelny, Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo as well as the Amur class repair vessel PM-82 and fleet oiler Akademik Pashin [3].

November 03
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus showed several Russian warships moored inside the port. The vessels were identified as the Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar, the Steregushchy class corvettes Stoiky and Soobrazitelny, Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo as well as the Amur class repair vessel PM-82 and fleet oiler Akademik Pashin. The Grigorovich class frigate Admiral Grigorovich remained absent from port [4].


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