Latest news with #SpartaII
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia withdraws military equipment from Syrian port, images show
Russia has stepped up its military withdrawal from Syria, removing vehicles and containers from its key Tartous port on the country's Mediterranean coast, analysis by BBC Verify suggests. After the fall of the Assad regime in December, verified footage showed columns of Russian vehicles moving north towards the port. Satellite images subsequently showed military hardware being stored there. But new images published on Wednesday by Planet Labs showed that much of the material has now disappeared, after the departure of vessels linked to the Russian military. It comes as Russian officials held "frank discussions" with the new government in Damascus, Reuters reported on Wednesday. There have been reports that the new Syrian government has cancelled Russia's lease at the port - but government departments contacted by the BBC would not confirm a final decision had been made. Tartous has been a key base for Russia in recent years, allowing it to refuel, resupply and repair vessels in the Mediterranean. But warships previously docked at the port have not appeared in satellite images since the collapse of the Assad regime - which Moscow backed throughout the Syrian civil war. The Kremlin has signalled its desire to retain control over the base, and said in December that it was speaking to the new authorities about maintaining a presence there. However, evidence suggests that Moscow has now decided to move valuable equipment away from the port. Satellite images have also shown Russian hardware being removed from the nearby Hmeimim airbase for several weeks. Two vessels - Sparta and Sparta II - docked at Tartous on 21 and 22 January, ship tracking sites showed. Both vessels are owned by Oboronlogistika LLC - a shipping company which operates as part of the Russian ministry of defence. Both ships are sanctioned by the US and have been linked by Ukraine to the transportation of Russian arms. They are roll-on/roll-off vessels that can carry vehicles. Sparta II departed the port by Monday, according to data from the tracking website MarineTraffic. Satellite images also revealed that a large quantity of military vehicles previously parked near the vessel were no longer there. The signal of the ship's onboard tracker was briefly picked up by MarineTraffic on Tuesday morning, showing it was travelling west through the Mediterranean near the coast of Cyprus. But since then, no signal has been received, suggesting the tracker may have been turned off. On Wednesday, satellite images showed another vessel - identified by experts as the Sparta - had also left the port. The images also show a large quantity of containers parked nearby had been removed. A signal from Sparta's onboard tracker has not been detected since it docked at Tartous - suggesting it may have been turned off as well. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requires all ships over 300 gross tonnes to broadcast their signal at all times, except in some limited circumstances. Ships may choose to turn off their tracking signal for legitimate reasons - such as when navigating high-risk piracy zones. But according to Nato it could also suggest the vessel is trying to "conceal illegal activities". Maritime expert Frederik Van Lokeren, a former Belgian navy lieutenant and analyst, said he was "highly confident" the vessel that had left the port was Sparta, based on satellite images. BBC Verify has previously monitored Sparta and the area where it had been docked is now empty. It is unclear where exactly the ships are heading. Mr Van Lokeren told BBC Verify that they could be en route to Libya, where the Kremlin already boasts a significant military presence supporting the Tobruk-based warlord Khalifa Haftar. Last week, Ukrainian military intelligence told BBC Verify that Russian flights had transferred military personnel and equipment from Russia's other Syrian base - Hmeimim - to airbases in Libya at least 10 times since mid-December. However, Mr Van Lokeren also suggested that the ships could be bound for Russia, where he said there was a "large probability that the military equipment might end up being deployed on the frontline against Ukraine". Dmitry Gorenburg, an expert on security issues in the former Soviet Union at Harvard University, told BBC Verify that the movements suggested Russia's presence at Tartous was coming to an end. "I don't know whether additional ships will be needed to remove everything or not, but to my mind that's largely immaterial," he said. "It's just a question of time until Russia's military presence at the base is concluded. We shall see what comes after." Graphics by Mark Edwards. What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? Russian ships return to Syrian base ahead of expected withdrawal Satellite imagery reveals Israeli military construction in buffer zone with Syria Syrians returning home face deadly threat of landmines
BBC News
29-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Russia withdraws military equipment from Syria's Tartous port, images show
Russia has stepped up its military withdrawal from Syria, removing vehicles and containers from its key Tartous port on the country's Mediterranean coast, analysis by BBC Verify the fall of the Assad regime in December, verified footage showed columns of Russian vehicles moving north towards the port. Satellite images subsequently showed military hardware being stored new images published on Wednesday by Planet Labs showed that much of the material has now disappeared, after the departure of vessels linked to the Russian comes as Russian officials held "frank discussions" with the new government in Damascus, Reuters reported on Wednesday. There have been reports that the new Syrian government has cancelled Russia's lease at the port - but government departments contacted by the BBC would not confirm a final decision had been has been a key base for Russia in recent years, allowing it to refuel, resupply and repair vessels in the Mediterranean. But warships previously docked at the port have not appeared in satellite images since the collapse of the Assad regime - which Moscow backed throughout the Syrian civil Kremlin has signalled its desire to retain control over the base, and said in December that it was speaking to the new authorities about maintaining a presence evidence suggests that Moscow has now decided to move valuable equipment away from the port. Satellite images have also shown Russian hardware being removed from the nearby Hmeimim airbase for several vessels - Sparta and Sparta II - docked at Tartous on 21 and 22 January, ship tracking sites showed. Both vessels are owned by Oboronlogistika LLC - a shipping company which operates as part of the Russian ministry of ships are sanctioned by the US and have been linked by Ukraine to the transportation of Russian arms. They are roll-on/roll-off vessels that can carry II departed the port by Monday, according to data from the tracking website MarineTraffic. Satellite images also revealed that a large quantity of military vehicles previously parked near the vessel were no longer there. The signal of the ship's onboard tracker was briefly picked up by MarineTraffic on Tuesday morning, showing it was travelling west through the Mediterranean near the coast of Cyprus. But since then, no signal has been received, suggesting the tracker may have been turned Wednesday, satellite images showed another vessel - identified by experts as the Sparta - had also left the port. The images also show a large quantity of containers parked nearby had been removed.A signal from Sparta's onboard tracker has not been detected since it docked at Tartous - suggesting it may have been turned off as well. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requires all ships over 300 gross tonnes to broadcast their signal at all times, except in some limited may choose to turn off their tracking signal for legitimate reasons - such as when navigating high-risk piracy zones. But according to Nato it could also suggest the vessel is trying to "conceal illegal activities".Maritime expert Frederik Van Lokeren, a former Belgian navy lieutenant and analyst, said he was "highly confident" the vessel that had left the port was Sparta, based on satellite Verify has previously monitored Sparta and the area where it had been docked is now empty. It is unclear where exactly the ships are heading. Mr Van Lokeren told BBC Verify that they could be en route to Libya, where the Kremlin already boasts a significant military presence supporting the Tobruk-based warlord Khalifa week, Ukrainian military intelligence told BBC Verify that Russian flights had transferred military personnel and equipment from Russia's other Syrian base - Hmeimim - to airbases in Libya at least 10 times since Mr Van Lokeren also suggested that the ships could be bound for Russia, where he said there was a "large probability that the military equipment might end up being deployed on the frontline against Ukraine".Dmitry Gorenburg, an expert on security issues in the former Soviet Union at Harvard University, told BBC Verify that the movements suggested Russia's presence at Tartous was coming to an end."I don't know whether additional ships will be needed to remove everything or not, but to my mind that's largely immaterial," he said. "It's just a question of time until Russia's military presence at the base is concluded. We shall see what comes after."Graphics by Mark Edwards. What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian state delegation arrives in Syria, first since fall of Assad
Russian officials arrived in Damascus, Syria on Jan.28, the first such delegation to visit the country since its Kremlin-backed dictator Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power in December, AP reported, citing Russian state media. Assad was ousted from power following a lightning offensive by rebels, putting an end to a decade-long civil war. He took refuge in Moscow. The delegation includes Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov, and the Russian president's special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev. Russian state media cited by AP did not specify the purpose of the delegation's visit, but the new Syrian authorities' semi-official newspaper, Al Watan, reported it will meet with the de-facto new leader of the country Ahmad al-Sharaa, and with the new foreign minister. After Assad was overthrown and fled to Russia, Moscow began withdrawing military and naval assets from Syria, and the future of its military bases such as the Tartus naval base and the Khmeimim air base remain unclear. Moscow deployed its troops to Syria in 2015, providing support to the Assad regime against multiple anti-government forces. Damascus had been supportive of the Kremlin during the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A "large amount" of Russian military equipment vanished from the Syrian port of Tartus with the departure of the Russian cargo ship Sparta II, an investigative journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Mark Krutov, said on Jan. 27, citing satellite images. Another Russian cargo ship called Sparta remained docked in the port after the two ships idled for weeks off the coast before being granted permission to dock, the BBC reported. The BBC added that there were probably two more Russian warships in the port, the Ivan Gren and the Aleksandr Otrakovsky. This assessment was supported by Ukraine's military intelligence. Read also: '4 out of 4' — Russian Lukoil oil refinery struck by multiple Ukrainian drones, military intelligence source claims We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New satellite images show Russian cargo ships at the key Tartus naval base in Syria, apparently to haul away military equipment
New satellite images show Russian cargo ships docked at Tartus to haul away military equipment. Russia's presence at the key naval base in Syria fell into uncertainty after the Assad regime ended. The images are the latest indication that Moscow is scaling down its footprint in the country. Newly captured satellite imagery shows Russia appearing to evacuate military equipment from a key naval base in Syria. The images are the latest sign that Moscow is scaling down its footprint in the country. Imagery captured by Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider shows two Russian-flagged cargo ships, Sparta and Sparta II, docked at the port of Tartus on Saturday after spending weeks idling in the Mediterranean Sea before they were allowed to enter. Russia's long-held military presence at Tartus and nearby Hmeimim airbase fell into uncertainty after the sudden collapse of the Assad regime in early December. It was unclear at the time whether the new Syrian government would allow Moscow to keep the two facilities. The satellite images also show trans-loading operations underway to remove equipment and cargo that Russia had staged at the base. A large number of vehicles could be seen at the base in mid-December and earlier this month. The latest images show a notable decrease in these assets. Sparta and Sparta II are roll-on/roll-off vessels that can carry wheeled cargo such as vehicles. Both of these ships are sanctioned by the US over their involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine. Marine tracking data shows they arrived at Tartus last week and that Sparta II has already left the port. The images are the latest indication that Russia is continuing to scale down its military footprint in Syria after rebel forces ousted Bashar Assad, the country's longtime dictator, in a stunning offensive during the fall. Russia long supported Assad in his civil war, but the rebels now control the province where Tartus and Hmeimim are located. The Kremlin had been engaged in efforts to secure the security of the two bases, but the new government reportedly just canceled Moscow's lease on the port. Over the past few weeks, satellite imagery has detected signs consistent with a partial or full military withdrawal. At Tartus, Russia emptied out its warships from the port, with some vessels spotted lingering off Syria's coast. And transport aircraft were seen at Hmeimim packing up critical equipment. The Pentagon said last month that it had observed Russia consolidating assets in Syria, with some forces leaving the country. Ukraine's military intelligence agency has said that Moscow is withdrawing from the country. Tartus and Hmeimim are both strategically valuable to Russia. The naval facility provides crucial access to a warm-water port, and the airbase allows Moscow to shuttle forces in and out of Africa. Losing both sites would be a major setback for Moscow, which allows it to project power across the Middle East and beyond. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Large amount of Russian military gear reportedly evacuated from Syria's Tartus port
A "large amount" of Russian military equipment vanished from the Syrian port of Tartus with the departure of the Russian cargo ship Sparta II, an investigative journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Mark Krutov, said on Jan. 27, citing satellite images. Another Russian cargo ship called Sparta remained docked in the port after the two ships idled for weeks off the coast before being granted permission to dock, the BBC reported. The news sheds further light on the state of Russian military assets in Syria, whose ultimate fate remains unclear after a rebel offensive overthrew Moscow-backed dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. "A large amount of Russian military equipment vanished from the Syrian port of Tartus with Sparta II's departure, while Sparta vessel remains in port," Krutov's post on X read. Both ships are owned by the sanctioned shipping company Oboronlogistics. Russia's Stroytransgaz's commitment made in 2019 to invest over $500 million in the modernization of the port, a prerequisite for allowing Russian ships into the port, was recently canceled. Russia had a 49-year leasing right of the port, which had been agreed upon earlier by the Assad regime. After the dictator was overthrown and fled to Russia, Moscow began withdrawing military and naval assets from Syria. Russian soldiers and materiel began leaving the country mainly by planes, departing from another key Russian military base, the Khmeimim airport. This means that despite the impediments to maritime transport, most materiel is leaving the country via airlift, with only equipment impossible or expensive to lift by air being transported by sea, Russian military blogger Fighterbomber said in a Telegram post on Jan. 22. The BBC wrote that there were probably two more Russian warships in the port, the Ivan Gren and the Aleksandr Otrakovsky. This assessment was supported by Ukraine's military intelligence. Read also: EU agrees to ease sanctions on Syria following Assad's fall, chief diplomat says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
