Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk16/2023

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of Apr-22

Weekly Brief

The Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov is deemed not to be present in the Mediterranean at this moment. Some confusion regarding the presence of the cruiser Marshal Ustinov was reported on April 20th when an AIS signal suggested that the cruiser had passed Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean. 
The Slava class cruiser however departed Murmansk on April 12th to take part in a Northern Fleet exercise in the Barents Sea. Even if the cruiser has sailed directly towards the Mediterranean, her passage went unreported by both the Norwegian and British navies. The AIS signal was also assigned to a vessel heading west, attempting to depart the Mediterranean.

As for the task force itself, some increased activity is reported with both frigates and both Steregushchy class corvettes now operating at sea.

Daily Events

April 15
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus showed several warships being moored inside the harbor. These vessels were identified as the Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo, the Aleksandrit class minehunter Vladimir Emelyanov as well as the fleet oilers Kola and Kama [1].

April 16
Satellite imagery showed several Russian warships moored inside the port of Tartus. The vessels were identified as the Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar, the Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo, the Aleksandrit class minehunter Vladimir Emelyanov as well as the fleet oilers Kola and Kama [2].

April 20
an AIS signal appeared 45 nautical miles east of Europa Point at the Strait of Gibraltar. The vessel in question claimed to be the Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov [3].

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