A Russian cargo ship that Ukraine claims was despatched to Syria to gather weapons has sunk within the Mediterranean Sea, in response to officers in Moscow.
Two crew members are lacking after an engine room explosion sank the Ursa Main between Spain and Algeria, the international ministry mentioned.
The ministry additionally mentioned 14 of the 16 crew members onboard have been rescued and delivered to Spain.
Ukraine’s navy intelligence claimed in a publish on Telegram yesterday that the ship had been despatched to Syria to take away weapons and navy gear after the autumn of Bashar al Assad.
Intelligence mentioned the ship then broke down and Russian crew had been in a position to “repair the issue and proceed by way of the Straight of Gibralter”.
Ship monitoring knowledge from the London Inventory Change Group (LSEG) exhibits the vessel departed from the Russian port of St Petersburg on 11 December and was final seen sending a sign at 10.04pm (GMT) on Monday between Algeria and Spain.
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On leaving St Petersburg it had indicated that its subsequent port of name was the Russian port of Vladivostok, not the Syrian port of Tartous which it had known as at beforehand.
The operator and proprietor of the ship is an organization known as SK-Yug, a part of transport and logistics firm Oboronlogistics, in response to LSEG knowledge.
Following a lightning offensive by anti-regime forces, Assad and his relations left the Syrian capital of Damascus and fled to Russia – one in all his strongest allies.
Assad’s location was confirmed as Russian information businesses mentioned Moscow had struck a take care of Syrian opposition leaders.
In current weeks, Russia has been pulling again its navy from the frontlines in northern Syria and the elimination of Assad has additionally thrown the way forward for Russia’s bases – the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and the Tartous naval facility – into query.
