Moscow. February 3. INTERFAX - A detachment of large amphibious ships of the Northern and Baltic Fleets entered the Syrian port of Tartus as part of exercises, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"A detachment of amphibious ships of the Northern and Baltic Fleets consisting of six large amphibious ships "Pyotr Morgunov", "George the Victorious", "Olenegorsky Miner", "Korolev", "Minsk" and "Kaliningrad" completed the transition around Europe and arrived in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea as part of the exercises of the Russian Navy conducted under the overall leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Admiral Nikolai Evmenov," the ministry reported.
"Currently, the ships are on the roadstead of the Syrian port of Tartus, where they have started replenishing fuel and lubricants, drinking water and food supplies to the required standards at the logistics point of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea," the report says.
Earlier, the agency also reported that the Russian Navy will conduct a series of exercises in the Mediterranean, Northern, Okhotsk Seas, in the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean.
More than 140 ships and over 10,000 military personnel will take part in the exercises, which will be held by the Russian Navy in January and February, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"The exercises will cover the waters of the seas adjacent to the Russian territory, as well as operationally important areas of the World Ocean. Separate exercises will be held in the waters of the Mediterranean, Northern, Okhotsk Seas, in the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean," the military department reported.
Russia has an air base in Syria at the Khmeimim airfield and a Navy base in the port of Tartus. Planes and helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces support ground operations of the Syrian army. It was officially reported that special operations forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, divisions of the center for reconciliation of the warring parties, military police, marines and others are operating in Syria.
In January 2017, a source told Interfax that the Russian military was upgrading the Russian Navy base in Tartus to a level that would allow cruisers to enter there. To this end, work was carried out to deepen and expand the fairway in the port of Tartus.
The cover of the Russian Navy base in Tartus, as officially reported, is provided by the S-400 long-range air defense systems, as well as the Bastion coastal missile systems with cruise missiles.
On September 30, 2020, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the naval base in Tartus is capable of receiving dozens of warships. "All ship parking lots are equipped with life support systems, unloading platforms, a repair complex for servicing and minor repairs of ships and vessels," the head of the military department said at the time.
A Russian squadron is permanently stationed in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of up to 15 warships and support vessels, the press service of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation reported.