Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk12/2024

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of Mar-23


Weekly Brief
Frigate Admiral Grigorovich was observed near Algiers in the beginning of the week after having escorted two weapon runners and a civilian tanker out of the Mediterranean. It is unclear if the frigate returned to Tartus directly or lingers in the area in anticipation of the landing ships Otrakovsky and Ivan Grenn.

Both vessels left the Northern Fleet and were reported in the Bay of Biscay on March 20 together with the fleet oiler Kola [a]. It looks like that Russia is restarting the Syrian Express, most likely transporting weapons and ammunition out of the Middle East back to Russia. Closure of the Turkish Straits means that the vessels will have to take the long route around Europe.

Intelligence collection vessel Kildin was observed in port, having eluded OSINT reporting for the past four months.

Daily Events
March 17
Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus revealed the presence of the corvettes Merkury and Orekhovo-Zuyevo as well as Improved Kilo class submarine Ufa and the intelligence collection vessel Kildin [1].

March 18
Frigate Admiral Grigorovich was observed near Algiers. The vessel most likely provided an escort for the Sparta IV, Ursa Major and Yaz as they headed from Tartus to the Strait of Gibraltar [2].


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