Four Russian fleets in the Mediterranean

Increased Russian naval activity observed in the Mediterranean in recent weeks will soon culminate in the holding of large-scale exercises. Russian buildings should include simulating a landing on the Syrian coast.

The Mediterranean since the beginning of January the venue you warships from the four Russian fleets: the Northern Fleet, the Baltic Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet and the Pacific Fleet.This deployment force reflects the interest shown by Moscow to the Mediterranean, and especially its eastern basin, interest has never waned since the time of Catherine II (1729-1796).

This activity will culminate Russian naval at the end of January with the holding of large international fleet exercises in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, " the most important exercises"ever held in Moscow this part of the world according to a source within State Russian General Staff. Here is the list of buildings which particperont (not exhaustive):

• Missile cruiser Moskva (Black Sea Fleet, Project 1164 Atlant).
• Large ASW ship: Marshal Shaposhnikov (Pacific Fleet, Project 1155 Fregat) Severomorsk(Northern Fleet Project 1155 Fregat)
• Frigate Yaroslav Mudriy (Baltic Fleet, Project 11540)
• Large ASW ship: Smetlivy (Fleet Black Sea Project 61)
• Large landing ships: Kaliningrad (Baltic Fleet, Project 775II) Novocherkassk (Fleet Black Sea Project 775II) Alexander Chabalin (Baltic Fleet, Project 775II) Saratov (Fleet Black Sea Project 1171 Tapir) Nikolai Filtchenkov (Fleet Black Sea Project 1171 Tapir) Azov(Fleet Black Sea Project 775III)
• Support vessels: PM-56 (Black Sea Fleet, ship repair) Ivan Bubnov (Fleet Black Sea tanker) Lena (tanker) SB-921 (tug) Altai (Northern Fleet tug ) Dubna (Northern Fleet tanker) SB-406 (Northern Fleet support ship).

It is therefore a fleet of 11 warships totaling more than 60,600 tons at full load, and embark almost 2400 crew. It is expected that these ships make a stop at the Syrian port of Tartus, where Russia has a naval logistics support point. The large landing ship Saratov has recently made a stop to repair one of its diesel generators failed. Dautres have made stops in Malta and the Greek port of Souda.

During the phase of operations in the eastern Mediterranean, it is expected that a number of buildings in exercise of landing on the Syrian coast. Here the list of buildings and units expected to attend:

• Missile cruiser Moskva
• Large ASW ship Severomorsk
• Large ASW ship Smetlivy
• Frigate Yaroslav Mudriy
• Large landing ships that will land men of the Marine Corps and those of the 108th Regiment of the Kuban Cossacks (Airborne Novorossiysk) and their hardware.

It is not currently scheduled to simulate air support to the amphibious operation, Russia to negotiate overflight of foreign territories (Turkey). However, if she got the necessary permissions, devices peeling off the air bases in the Crimea and / or that of Krimsk.