There are no Russian warships left in the Mediterranean Sea
19 July 07:19
For the first time since 2013, Russia has completely lost its military presence in the Mediterranean Sea. Several factors contributed to this situation. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, as cited by "Komersant Ukrainian".
As of July 1, there were no Russian warships left in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to analysts, this is the first such instance in the past 12 years. One of the main reasons was Turkey’s decision, following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to close the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to military vessels from both countries.
Ankara invoked the provisions of the Montreux Convention, which prevented the Russian Black Sea Fleet from freely moving ships between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Why Russia Lost Ground
Another factor was the situation in Syria. Following the change in government at the end of 2024, Russia effectively lost its former ability to use the logistics base in Tartus, which for many years had served as a key base for the Russian Navy in the region.
In addition, some of the ships were redeployed to carry out other missions. In particular, certain vessels are escorting Russian government and special-purpose ships in northern Europe, including areas off the coast of the United Kingdom.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
When the Last Ships Left
The last Russian ships left the Mediterranean Sea in June. According to reports, on June 4, satellites detected the frigate “Admiral Kasatonov” and the tanker “Akademik Pashin” in Tartus, Syria.
A few days later, the ships visited Alexandria, Egypt, to mark Russia Day; they were then spotted off the coast of Sardinia, and on June 22, they arrived at the Algerian port of Oran. After that, they left the Mediterranean Sea.
What’s Next
Experts believe that the Russian Navy’s absence from the region is temporary. The Mediterranean Sea remains an important route for Russian ships to access the open ocean, so Moscow will likely continue to seek a new base.
Sudan is cited as one of the most likely options. Earlier, Sudanese authorities stated that they saw no obstacles to ratifying an agreement with Russia to establish a naval base on the Red Sea coast.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
