All Eyes Are on Russia’s Mediterranean Flotilla as it Leaves Syria Behind

Russia’s plans for maintaining a naval presence in the Mediterranean, now that it has lost its only permanent base at Tartus, are likely to become clear once coastal watchers covering the Straits of Gibraltar spot ship transits in the coming days. Talks which concluded on January 29 between Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al Sharaa and Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov ended without any agreement on a renewal of the Russian presence, with the Syrian side demanding the repatriation of ex-President Assad from exile in Russia as a condition.

According to expert reporting by Frederik Van Lokeren, the Mediterranean Flotilla, previously based in Tartus, is now heading west 100 nm south of Crete.  The flotilla currently comprises G…