Russian military convoy in Mediterranean hints at Ukraine plan
NATO is tracking a Russian military convoy that left Syria and is heading towards Gibraltar. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War suspect that the equipment might be intended for use against Ukraine.
The Russian convoy, consisting of two container ships loaded with military equipment and their escort vessels, left Syria last week. It is currently located between Sardinia and Tunisia, heading west. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suspect that the equipment might be intended for use against Ukraine.
The cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II set sail from the Syrian port of Tartus, accompanied by the frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Golovko, the landing ships Ivan Gren and Alexander Otrakovsky, and the tankers General Skobelew and Vyazma. It is not certain whether the entire flotilla is heading towards the Atlantic or if some units have detached near Libya.
Satellite imagery analyst MT Anderson suggested on platform X that Russia might be negotiating with General Khalifa Haftar to establish a military base in Libya. The route of the US drone USN MQ-4C Triton, which tracked the convoy but lingered momentarily over Benghazi, supports this suggestion. The ships Sparta and Sparta II continue to sail with the convoy.
The warships' tracking devices are turned off, but images from the Italian portal Itamilradar show that the frigate, both landing ships, and the tanker are sailing alongside the cargo ships. However, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich is not visible. The tanker Vyazma has detached and is now located in Alexandria, Egypt.
For several days, this fleet has been accompanied by two Italian aircraft, the ATR P-72A, and the customs service ATR P-72B, operating in this part of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the American drone Triton, which is tasked with conducting observation and reconnaissance over a broad maritime area.
