Source: Russian Warships to Defend Naval Base in Syria

19.06.2012 If needed, large landing ships Nikolai Filchenkov and Caesar Kunikov will maintain security of Russian Navy's technical support base in Tartus (Syria), said a source in the Navy Mail HQ.

"Crews of Nikolai Filchenkov and Caesar Kunikov and rescue tug SB-15 with marines on board are capable to secure Russian citizens and evacuate property of the Tartus base, if required", the Navy spokesman told Interfax.

Black Sea Fleet (BSF) press secretary Capt 1 Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said on Monday that large landing ship Caesar Kunikov returned to Sevastopol from the Mediterranean cruise in order to prepare for new deployments.

"The ship led by Capt 2 Rank Alexei Bezaliuk was representing Russian Navy on Italian island Sicily. The crew attended the memorable activities devoted to Russian sailors rescued residents of Messina during the earthquake in 1908", Trukhachev reminded.

According to him, after replenishment of all supplies, landing ship Caesar Kunikov will be ready for new missions at sea.

Caesar Kunikov is a Project 775 oceangoing large landing ship. The ship can use different loading variants: 150 marines and ten T-55-type tanks with 40-men crew; twelve PT-76 amphibious tanks with 36-men crew; three T-55-type tanks with 12-men crew. Strength of landing party is 147 men. The ship is capable to transport a 650-ton cargo to the distance of 4,700 nautical miles.

Project 1171 large landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov displaces 4,650 tons; length is 113.1 meters; beam is 15.6 meters; draft is 4.5 meters; full speed is 16.5 knots; cruising range is 10,000 nm at 15 knots; cargo capacity is up to 1,500 tons; armament includes 57-mm gun mount ZIF-31B, 2 coupled 25-mm antiaircraft automatic guns 2M-3M, 3 x 8 portable air defense systems, MLRS A-215 Grad-M; complement is 55 men.

As was earlier reported, Russian Navy has a technical maintenance base in Syrian port Tartus. Floating workshop PM-138 is stationed there.

Intermediate seagoing tanker Iman supplying Russian naval assets in the Mediterranean Sea returned to Sevastopol late May 2012.

It was also reported that the deployment of BSF missile cruiser Moskva to the Mediterranean in order to patrol Syrian coast had been canceled in May.

The vessel Professor Katsman moored at the Tartus port on May 26. Referring to Human Rights First organization, numerous foreign and Russian media agencies reported that the ship was carrying a batch of Russian arms meant for Syrian government to counter opposition.

According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia sold air defense systems Buk-M2 and coastal defense missile systems Bastion-P. Besides, Russia and Syria signed contracts for 36 operational training airplanes Yak-130 for $550 mln and 25 fighters MiG-29. Earlier on, Syria received a batch of Strelets air defense systems, 36 antiaircraft gun/missile systems Pantsir-S1, and other arms.

As for experts, in case the international community imposes an arms embargo on Syria, Russia may lose about $4 bln.