Kaliningrad, Russia. After recent attacks upon Syria, the Russian federation is dispatching a naval task force to Syria in escalated response to American aggression in the region.Two Steregushchiy-class corvettes, an ocean tug and a fleet oiler left Kaliningrad over the weekend, the unnamed official confirmed to News Front on Monday.
Following the US air strike on a Syrian airbase last week Moscow is sending more ships to Syrian regime controlled waters, a US defence official has stated. The Baltic Navy vessels are expected to arrive in the eastern Mediterranean in the next five days and will be based in Tartus, which is home to a Russian navy base.
The Russian task force of ships joins the cruise missile armed Admiral Grigorovich, which began its journey from the Black Sea on Friday. “The Grigorovich will operate in the region in accordance to the changing military situation,” Russian state media reported, adding that it carries cruise missiles, a missile defence system, artillery, anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes, and can dock a helicopter.
The frigate was used in the bombardment of rebel controlled Aleppo last year. The recapture of the city in large part thanks to Russian firepower has decisively turned the tide of the war in Russian ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s favor, much to the chagrin of American neocon elements. The new force joins the six other Russian warships and four support vessels currently stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.
The US has four ships deployment in the same area, including the USS Porter and USS Ross, which were used to launch a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian operated Shayrat airbase near Homs on Friday.
The American attack which marked the first direct action taken by the US against the Syrian government in more than six years of the civil war, killed six soldiers and caused some damage to jets, runways and hangars.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May and Mr Trump spoke on the phone ahead of the G7 meeting in Italy on Tuesday, agreed there is now a “window of opportunity” to persuade Russia to ditch its support for the Syrian regime, but the proposals have been met with a lukewarm response from European allies.