Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk40/2023

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of Oct-07


Weekly Brief
All signs are pointing to an imminent departure of the Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar from the Mediterranean. The submarine is being escorted by the sea going rescue tug Sergey Balk. Both vessels departed Tartus on October 01 and have been moving westwards at a steady pace. They most likely pass Gibraltar in the second half of Week 41.
The submarine entered the Mediterranean on August-31, 2021 and has spend a deployment of over two years. The submarine will now head to a shipyard for repairs and modernization, most likely in the Baltic Sea.

Steregushchy class corvette Merkury departed Tartus in the second half of the week. Previous deployments of the corvette were done to provide escort for weapon runners from and to the Black Sea. So far there is no matching activity in the Black Sea to suggest a new weapon runner will make a transit.

Daily Events
October 02
Moma class intelligence collection vessel Kildin was observed operation in the vicinity of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group 12 in an area 76km northeast of Bari [1].

Rescue tug Sergey Balk was observed 37km South of Cyprus, heading in a westward direction [2].

October 03
Rescue Tug Sergey Balk and Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar were observed southeast of Crete. Both vessels are heading on an westward course towards the Central Mediterranean [3].

October 04
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus revealed the presence of the Steregushchy class corvette Merkury,  Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo, fleet oiler Yelnya and Amur class repair vessel PM-82 [4].

October 06
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus revealed the presence of the Buyan-M class corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo, fleet oiler Yelnya and Amur class repair vessel PM-82 [5].

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