Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk06/2025

Task Force Composition
As reported by OSINT at the morning of Feb-08


Weekly Brief
Over the week, the Russian task force is slowly exiting the Mediterranean with a convoy moving from the area east of Malta towards the Strait of Gibraltar. The convoy is centered around the civilian cargo vessels Sparta and Sparta II, both of them presumed to be transporting military equipment from Syria back towards Russia. 

Escorting this convoy are the frigates Admiral Golovko and Admiral Grigorovich. Also present is the Ropucha class landing vessel Alexandr Otrakovsky. It unclear if this vessel is transporting military equipment as well as OSINT sources did not report her docking in Tartus, Syria.

Civilian oiler General Skobolev is also present. The role of this oiler is not clear but the vessel could serve as a possible storage of fuel to keep the Russian fleet oilers Vyazma and Yelnya topped up, though Yelnya has been lingering near Bani Safi, Algeria, for the past weeks, serving as a refueling vessel for Russian ships entering or about to leave the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar.

Daily Events
February 2
Satellite imagery shows what appears to be frigates Admiral Golovko and Admiral Grigorovich as well as Ropucha class landing vessel Alexandr Otrakovsky in a position 50 kilometers east-southeast of Malta [1].

February 4
Satellite imagery shows several Russian vessels 97 kilometers east of the Italian island of Pantelleria. The vessels were identified as the frigates Admiral Golovko and Admiral Grigorovich, Ropucha class landing vessel Alexandr Otrakovsky as well as the cargo vessels Sparta and Sparta II [2].

Fleet oiler Yelnya is reported at anchor in a position 25 nautical miles off Beni Safi, Algeria [3].

February 5
AIS signals show the cargo vessels Sparta and Sparta II north of Djen Djen, Algeria, and about to sail by Sparta IV which is heading eastwards [4].

February 7
Cargo vessels Sparta and Sparta II, as well as the civilian oiler General Skobelev, are located 45 nautical miles northwest of Oran, Algeria [5].

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