Russia sends more warships to Syria

Russia is sending more ships to Syria’s Tartous naval base, a US Pentagon official has said.

An unnamed official told US Naval Institute news on Monday that two Steregushchiy class corvettes, an ocean tug and a fleet oiler left the Russian city of Kaliningrad over the weekend.

The Baltic Navy vessels are expected to arrive in the eastern Mediterranean in the next five days and will probably be based in Tartus, which is home to a Russian naval base.

The group of ships joins the cruise-missile armed Admiral Grigorovich, which began its journey from the Black Sea on Friday.

Read: Russia expands naval base in Tartus, Syria

Russian media said: “The Grigorovich will operate in the region in accordance to the changing military situation.” It carries cruise missiles, a missile defence system, artillery, anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes and can dock a helicopter, according to media reports.

The frigate was used last year to bomb the opposition-held city of Aleppo.

The new fleet joins six other Russian warships and four support vessels currently stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.

The US maintains four ships in the same area, including the USS Porter and USS Ross, which were used to launch a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles at regime-operated Shayrat Air Base near Homs on Friday.