NATO tracks Russian convoy with possible Ukrainian implications
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 may 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 may be intended for use against Ukraine.
From the Syrian port of Tartus, the cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II set sail, 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 uncertain whether the entire flotilla is heading towards the Atlantic or if some units will detach near Libya.
Satellite imagery analyst MT Anderson suggested on platform X that Russia might negotiate with General Khalifa Haftar to establish a military base in Libya. This is indicated by the route of the US drone USN MQ-4C Triton, which was tracking the convoy but paused for a moment over Benghazi. The ships Sparta and Sparta II continued 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 located in Alexandria, Egypt.
For several days, this fleet has been accompanied by two Italian aircraft operating in this part of the Mediterranean Sea: the ATR P-72A and the customs service ATR P-72B, as well as the American drone Triton, which is tasked with conducting observation and reconnaissance over a very large maritime area.
