There are now six Russian amphibious warfare ships in the Mediterranean Sea, adding to a growing Russian fleet there. The three latest landing shipsย left the Baltic Seaย earlier this month. While the Russian Ministry of Defense has said they will take part in naval drills, the amphibious armada could be heading to the Black Sea to support a potentialย Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Or they could be a diversion.
Accordingย to ย The Warzone Wire, three landing ships โfrom the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet, the Project 775ย Ropuchaย classย amphibious warfare shipsย Olenegorskiy Gornyakย andย Georgiy Pobedonosetsย and theย Project 11711ย Ivan Grenย class landing shipย Pyotr Morgunov, were spotted entering the Mediterranean earlier todayย via the Strait of Gibraltarย to join another three already on station in the area.โ
The Driveย describesย the growing Russian amphibious force:
The other threeย Ropuchaย class ships from the Baltic Fleet, which had preceded the Northern Fleet flotilla on its passage through the English Channel, are reported to have already entered the Mediterranean, two days earlier, via the same route.
Others have tracked the route of the amphibious fleet.
The three landing ships now in the Mediterranean, and the three from the Baltic Fleet that are expected to join them, can carryย tanks and armored vehicles, as well as troops, and equipment, to land directly onto the beach.
But these six amphibious warfare vessels are only part of a larger Russian combat fleet being assembled. The Drive notes:
Previously, the Russian Ministry of Defenseย had announcedย that all six of these amphibious warfare vessels would take part in large-scale maneuvers planned in the Mediterranean. Other warships expected to participate are theย Slavaย class cruiserย Varyag,ย Udaloyย class destroyerย Admiral Tributs, and the fleet oilerย Boris Butoma, all from the Pacific Fleet.
Meanwhile, another Russian Navy vessel, theย Vishnyaย class intelligence-gathering shipย Vasiliy Tatishchev, entered the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar last week. Its destination is unclear, but it could be a potential participant in the upcoming Russian naval manuevers.
The Driveย adds:
โฆshould Russia launch an invasion of Ukraine, some or all of these would be expected to continue to the Black Sea from where they would likely take part in amphibious landingsย along the country's southern coastlines, especiallyย in the Sea of Azov.
However, their mission could also just be to serve as a diversion for the powerful NATO fleet that is now operating in the eastern Mediterranean.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions ofย American Liberty News.