Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk14/2023

Task Force Composition

As reported by OSINT at the morning of Apr-06

Weekly Brief
Activity of the task force has increased significantly following the influx of Northern and Pacific Fleet warships. The coming days will create clarity of Russia is restarting the Syrian Express runs, this time between Tartus and Saint Petersburg, in earnest. Amphibious landing vessel Ivan Gren was last observed in Tartus either unloading or being loaded.

Slava class cruiser Varyag arrived in the Mediterranean while the Udaloy class destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov completed a port visit in Eritrea. The destroyer might enter the Mediterranean somewhere around April 5th or 6th, given the presence of fleet oiler Kama at Alexandria. Often fleet oiler linger near the Suez canal to be ready to refuel and escort Russian warships coming from the Red Sea. 

Frigate Admiral Grigorovich, Improved Kilo class submarine Ufa and intelligence collection vessel Kildin were not observed at Tartus during the week. There whereabouts are unknown.

Daily Events
April 01
Slava class cruiser Varyag entered the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal [1] [2].

Frigate Admiral Grigorovich reportedly escorted the detachment of the Northern Fleet as it moved between Greece and Cyprus [3].

April 02
Amphibious landing vessels Ivan Gren and Aleksandr Otrakovsky, together with fleet oiler Kola are reported at the port of Tartus. Their approach to the port was scouted by Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft [4].

Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus confirmed the presence of the corvettes Merkury and Orekhovo-Zuyevo as well as the landing vessels Ivan Gren and Aleksandr Otrakovsky moored inside the port [5].

April 03
The cruiser Varyag is anchored outside the port  of Tartus together with fleet oiler Kola while corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo has departed the port of Tartus [6].

April 04
The AIS signal of fleet oiler Kama was reported at Alexandria, Egypt [7].


Popular posts from this blog

Russian Naval deployments during the Ukraine War

Image
March 17, 2022 At least six Russian warships were observed near Odessa. The warships maintained their distance and operated on the horizon. March 16, 2022 Several vessels entered the port of Sevastopol including the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov. The Bykov was rumored to be struck and sunk by a Ukrainian grad MLRS barrage near Odessa on March 07 dough this was never officially confirmed.  The visual confirmation of the vessel entering the port of Sevastopol undamaged indicates that if an MLRS attack took place, it did not struck the Bykov. Ropucha class landing vessel Kondopoga of the northern fleet allegedly also entered the port of Sevastopol. March 15, 2022 Several Russian warships and landing ships were spotted on commercial satellite imagery during the morning hours. The vessels were heading in the direction of Odessa.  The vessel leading the formation of landing ships appears to be minesweeper with her sweeping array deployed. During the evening, around 90 missiles were reported fir
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk42/2023

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of Oct-21 Weekly Brief The task force continues to operate at sea with its maximum capacity it can deploy. Both corvettes are most likely covering the US naval deployments of the Gerald R. Ford carrier task force with fleet oiler Yelnya regularly sailing out of Tartus to refuel the vessels at sea. Daily Events October 14 Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar and the rescue tug Sergey Balk were visually observed passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and exiting the Mediterranean [ 1 ]. October 17 Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus only showed the fleet oiler Yelnya present inside the harbor [ 2 ]. October 18 A radio signal belonging to the fleet oiler Yelnya was intercepted, placing the vessel in a position of 34.9° North, 35,8° East; just outside the port of Tartus [ 3 ].
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk41/2023

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of Oct-14 Weekly Brief The Russian task force has been responding to the new situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the arrival of a US Navy carrier task force in the region. AGI vessel Kildin is keeping track of the carrier movements. At the same time, both corvettes departed Tartus, support by the Amur class repair vessel PM-82. Both corvettes most likely form a counterbalance to the US Navy presence and project power is support of local allies though the projected combat power falls far short of the deployed US maritime power in this region. Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar has been steadily heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar, escorted by rescue tug Sergey Balk. Both vessels will most likely transit on October 14th during the night to prevent visual observation. Daily Events October 09 Fleet oiler Yelnya replenished the Momo class intelligence collection vessel Kildin in a postion halfway Crete and Mersa Matr
Read more