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All Eyes Are on Russia's Mediterranean Flotilla as it Leaves Syria Behind

The military cargo ship Sparta II, which recently completed loading and left Tartus (Portuguese Navy file image)
The military cargo ship Sparta II, which recently completed loading and left Tartus (Portuguese Navy file image)

Published Feb 2, 2025 10:26 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Russia’s plans for maintaining a naval presence in the Mediterranean, now that it has lost its only permanent base at Tartus, are likely to become clear once coastal watchers covering the Straits of Gibraltar spot ship transits in the coming days. Talks which concluded on January 29 between Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al Sharaa and Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov ended without any agreement on a renewal of the Russian presence, with the Syrian side demanding the repatriation of ex-President Assad from exile in Russia as a condition.

According to expert reporting by Frederik Van Lokeren, the Mediterranean Flotilla, previously based in Tartus, is now heading west 100 nm south of Crete.  The flotilla currently comprises Gorshkov Class cruiser Admiral Golovko (461), Krivak Class Admiral Grigorovich (F745), landing vessels Alexander Otrakovsky (L031) and Ivan Gren (L135), and the oilers Vyazma and General Skobalev. The flotilla lingered off Tartus until two civilian RO-RO cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II completed loading Russian equipment stacked on the dockside. The flotilla is now escorting these two vessels on their journey westwards, anxious to protect them from the fate suffered by the cargo ship Ursa Major which foundered off Oran on December 23.

It is unclear yet where the Russian flotilla is headed.  A sighting of the flotilla heading through the Straits of Gibraltar will indicate that the Russians have for the moment given up hope of re-establishing the naval base facilities which they enjoyed at Tartus somewhere else in the Mediterranean. The equipment on board, if it ends up back in Russia, will be a useful boost to stocks severely depleted by the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

The Russian focus for now appears to be on building up two airbases in Eastern Libya, at Benghazi and the Al Khadim airbase. This territory is controlled by Libyan warlord (and former Langley resident) Field Marshall Haftar, who has for some time been sponsored by the United Arab Emirates. Benghazi and Al Khadim have seen a recent heavy increase in Russian IL-76 air cargo traffic, in particular for flights which then continue to Bamako in Mali, one of several African countries where Russia’s Africa Corps, successor to the Wagner group, still has sway. But should Russia intend to establish a new naval base, and if the Russians were to be granted access to ports in Haftar-controlled territory, then the port at Tobruk would be a strong candidate.

Hence sightings made by Gibraltar Coast Watchers will provide a strong indication of what Russian intentions may be. These intentions are also perhaps of interest elsewhere; in recent days, two nuclear submarines have slipped in and out of Gibraltar, namely the Virginia Class USS Indiana (SSN789) and Astute Class HMS Anson (S123), missions and destinations as usual unknown.