Russia plans to transfer military equipment from Syria to Libya – Defense Intelligence
For the retreat and transfer of military equipment from the Syrian Republic to Libya, the Russian army plans to use a group of ships consisting of two large landing ships and dry cargo vessels, the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports.
"On January 5, 2025, the Russian large landing ships Ivan Grin and Alexander Otrakovsky, as well as the dry cargo ship Sparta, are planning to arrive in the Syrian port - they are currently on the way to Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea," the Agency said in a Telegram message.
It is indicated that Chief of Staff of the 121st Brigade of Landing Ships of the Russian Fleet, Captain 1st Rank Yuri Albertovich Davityan, is on board the Russian Northern Fleet's large landing ship Alexander Otrakovsky.
The report says that at the naval base in the Syrian city of Tartus, the Russians are waiting for their warships to remove military equipment and weapons; in particular, mercenaries of the African Corps controlled by the Russian Defense Ministry are also on the territory of the base.
"On January 8, 2025, two more Russian ships are planning to call at Tartus - the general cargo ship Sparta II and the tanker Ivan Skobelev, which are currently planning to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. The Russians plan to use the cargo ships Sparta and Sparta II to transport military equipment and weapons from Syria to Libya," the Agency reports.
According to the intelligence service, another military ship from the Russian Navy's task force in the Mediterranean, the frigate Admiral Golovko, plans to refuel.
The report notes that, most likely, at one of the airfields in Vladimir region (Russia), armored personnel carriers taken out of Syria were unloaded.
It was previously reported that the Russians are carrying out an emergency dismantling of equipment and military property in the Syrian port of Tartus. Several hundred Russian special forces have already arrived there to ensure the safety of the retreat.