Moscow plans first post-Soviet foreign port — in Syria

[falcon]

Moscow plans first post-Soviet foreign port — in Syria

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, June 5, 2006

MOSCOW — Russia plans to expand its naval presence in Syria in an arrangement that would grant superpower protection to the regime of President Bashar Assad.

"For the first time since the Soviet Union's collapse, Russia will create its own military base outside former Soviet borders, which would enable Moscow to conduct its own political game in the Middle East," the Moscow-based daily reported on June 2.

Russian sources said Moscow and Damascus have discussed the expansion of the Russian naval presence in two major Syrian ports. They said Moscow was prepared to pay Syria for the naval rights with both advanced weapons and a strategic defense pact.

On June 2, Kommersant reported that Russia wants to regain full access to the Syrian ports of Latakia and Tartous. Quoting a Russian diplomat in Damascus, the newspaper, regarded as authoritative, said Moscow has already launched a project to dredge the Latakia port to accommodate large Russian warships.

"It's clear that Syria doesn't have the money to pay for major weapons systems," a source said. "So, over the last year, we've been discussing alternatives."

Kommersant said Russian contractors have launched a project to widen a channel in Latakia for Russian warships. The newspaper said Syria would become a major stopover for Russia's Black Sea fleet, now based in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol.

"As an official at Russian naval headquarters explained, the construction of a fully-fledged naval base in Tartous should help Russia redeploy the naval and supply ships leaving Sevastopol," Kommersant said.

Hours later, Russia denied reported plans to replace Sevastopol with a permanent naval base in Syria. Since the 1970s, Moscow has used Tartous for naval supply and maintenance support in the Mediterranean Sea.

"The Russian government hasn't had and doesn't have plans to move the Black Sea fleet from Ukraine," an unidentified Russian admiral told the Itar-Tass news agency. "Our fleet is staying in Crimea at least until 2017."

Kommersant said Moscow's naval base in Syria would be protected by the S-300PMU-2 Favorit, the most advanced operational Russian air defense system. The newspaper said the naval base and air defenses would be manned by Russian soldiers and the S-300 could defend large areas of Syria from Israeli air strikes.

"It means that from now on Russia would care for and protect the Syrian regime," Kommersant said. "Moscow's stake in Damascus would definitely damage relations between Russia and Israel and could persuade the Iranian regime to be even less compliant in talks on the Iranian nuclear program."

www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/06/front2453892.060416667.html

[Ryan Ruck]

falcon,
While reading the article you just posted, one of those ports names rung a bell but I couldn't place it right away. After thinking for a second, it hit me!

In Pat Frank's Alas, Babylon, an errant missile hits the port of Latakia and, with the Soviets thinking it was a deliberate strike on their submarine base there, ignites a nuclear war.

[Sean Osborne]

Tartous and Latakia have always been de facto Russian naval bases - and I am going back to the days of the Soviet Mediterranean Fleet. Tartous was a regular stop for Soviet submarines for replenishment and/or refit. I know - I stalked them there. Latakia has long be a logistics center for Russian fleet ops in the Med. This is not really new news, well at least not to myself it isn't.

Other Mediterranean anchorages favored by Russia were the Gulf of Hammamet (off the coast of Tunisia) and Limnos Island in the Aegean.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russia to Establish Naval Base in Syrian Port of Tartus

Russia has begun works in the Syrian port of Tartus seeking to built a full-scale naval base for the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, currently based in Ukraine’s Sevastopol, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources in the Defense Ministry and the General Staff of the Russian Navy.

The paper noted that this is the first time Russia is setting up a military base outside the CIS since the fall of the USSR and that the base will allow Moscow to pursue its own line in the Middle East.

Russia has also started work in the port of Latakia in Syria, the newspaper said. The base in Tartus and the new mooring in Latakia will be able to serve the needs of the Black Sea Fleet and possibly the North Sea Fleet as well.

The newspaper quoted its sources as saying that in the nearest future the Russian Navy will form a squadron headed by the Moskva missile cruiser which will permanently operate in the Mediterranean, taking part in joint exercises with NATO forces.

The sources said that the new base would allow Russia to strengthen its positions in the Middle East and also enhance Syrian security.

However, the Russian Defense Ministry has refuted the report. Russia is not building a military base in Syria, spokesman for the Ministry Colonel Vyacheslav Sedov was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.

[Ryan Ruck]

I'm going ahead and moving this thread over to the Middle East section since it has big implications for that region.

Intelligence Brief: Russia's Moves in Syria

In early June, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported Moscow's decision to establish naval bases in the Syrian ports of Tartus and Latakia. The Russian Defense Ministry officially denied the report, even though more than one source confirmed it.

As part of the plan, the port of Tartus would be transformed into a naval base for Russia's Black Sea Fleet when it is away from the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol.

The Russian plan involves the installation of an air defense system with S-300PMU-2 Favorit ballistic missiles. The missiles have a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles), allow a larger warhead and are equipped with a better guidance system than the previous version. The air defense system would be operated by Russia for the defense of the Tartus base and would provide potential protection for a large part of Syria. Through these initiatives, it is clear that Russia wants to strengthen its position in the Middle East.

Russia is searching for a new role in the diplomatic balance in the Middle East and a decision to move into Syria is a step on the path toward increasing its influence in the region. Syria seems to be the best target for this approach because of Damascus' heightened weakness as a result of its international isolation that was reinforced after the U.S. intervention in Iraq and Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is searching for allies to move the country out of isolation. This increases its incentive to turn to Moscow, even if this relationship will not be as strong as it was during the Cold War era. For Russia, its increasing ties with Syria provide Moscow with added leverage in the region. [See: "Russia's Future Foreign Policy: Pragmatism in Motion"]

During the first five years of Putin's presidency, Moscow and Damascus did not share close relations; since the beginning of 2005, however, that situation changed. In the last two years, Russia has built a closer relationship with Syria. The country is an important cash-buyer of Russian arms and an interesting partner for Russia's energy industries. Moreover, Putin is searching for a stronger role in the Israeli-Arab peace process; Russia's February 2006 meeting with Hamas is a clear example of this policy. Through that meeting, Russia tried to seize the initiative from the United States and the European Union, with the latter two's decision-making about the future of the peace process paralyzed by Hamas' election victory. [See: "Intelligence Brief: Recognizing Hamas, Iran Welcomes Shi'a Control in Iraq"]

The increase of Syrian strategic dependence on Russia will strengthen Moscow's political role in the region, even if Russian arms sales to Syria risk damaging the good relations built with Israel in recent years. Of course, stronger Russian influence in Syria could be used by Putin in a dual way. For example, if Russia needs to improve relations with Israel and the United States, it could possibly compel Syria to take a softer approach toward these countries. On the flip side, if Russia needs to increase pressure on these countries, it can use Syria as its arm for this purpose.

When connecting these latest initiatives in Syria to Russia's good ties with Iran, it is clear that Moscow is planning on playing a stronger role in the political and diplomatic dynamics of the Middle East.

Another reason why Moscow wishes to preserve the Bashar government's stability is to guarantee Russian economic contracts in the country. For example, in December 2005 Russia and Syria signed an important agreement worth US$370 million in the gas sector. This agreement presupposes the construction of a section of pipeline that ends in the Syrian city of Ar Rayyan, and of a gas processing plan next to Palmyra, built by Stroitransgaz -- Russia's most important engineering company in the oil and gas industry. The gas industry is one of the economic sectors in which the relationship between the two countries is growing. Commercial ties are also increasingly strong in the military and oil sectors.

Moreover, from Russia's point of view, Bashar's good relationship with pro-Russian Chechen groups is an important guarantee for Russian homeland security. A Sunni fundamentalist regime in Damascus is seen as a threat for Moscow because it will probably give financial and logistical support to terrorist groups operating in the Chechen conflict. The need for a stable, Bashar-led regime is also shared by Israel and the United States because the Syrian regime could be replaced by one that is more radical and more of a threat to U.S. and Israeli interests.

Moscow is in search of a new role in the Middle East. Russia is trying to moderate U.S. dominance of the international system, and the Middle East is a focal point of this strategy. Putin knows that modern-day Russia does not have the same assets as the former Soviet Union to influence the diplomatic dynamics of the Middle East, but he wishes to use every window of opportunity to increase Russian power. Decisions such as helping Syria, having a more decisive role in the Israeli-Arab peace process and playing a primary role in the Iranian nuclear affair are steps on the path to strengthen Russia's position in the Middle East and to increase Moscow's power to better serve its national interests.

[Ryan Ruck]

Apparently the Russians just aren't planning on revamping and expanding these ports but, they are planning on relocating their entire Black Sea fleet there!

Russia Weighs Relocation Of Black Sea Fleet To Syria

The head of the Russian Navy has raised the prospect of the Black Sea Fleet relocating to a Syrian naval base. Chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin emphasized the strategic importance of the Mediterranean to Russia during a visit to sailors in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol. The Soviet Union withdrew warships from the Syrian port of Tartus in the 1990s, at the end of the Cold War, but has kept a logistical supply point there. Russia is known to have started dredging works at Tartus to allow its biggest warships to dock. It is also participating in a modernisation project at another port further north. Moscow's agreement with Kiev for the use of its Black Sea ports is due to expire in 2017. Ukraine has said Russia is not paying enough for the facilities and called for talks which have since stalled. Any redeployment of the fleet to a Syrian port would certainly worry the West, especially in the light of the escalation of military and technical cooperation between Russia and Syria.

[American Patriot]

Wow. To Syria?

WTF???

[American Patriot]

Why the HELL isn't Fox, CNN and others covering this stuff?

[Ryan Ruck]

Russian Navy To Operate From Syria

For first time since fall of Iron Curtain, Russia plans to build permanent bases on Syrian soil as part of large arms deal between two countries. Defense establishment officials fear Russian ships may try to spy on Israel's weapon systems

For the first time since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia plans to re-operate the Tartus and Latakia ports in Syria as permanent bases for the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean basin, according to recent western media reports.

Rumors on the growing Russian activity in the Mediterranean began spreading following a statement by Russian Navy commander, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, as he visited the Russian Navy base in the Sebastopol port in Ukraine.

"Being present in the Mediterranean is very important for our Navy in the Black Sea," the admiral said.

The Qatar-based television network al-Jazeera quoted a senior Russian Defense Ministry official over the weekend, who declared that Russia must be permanently present in the Mediterranean again.

According to the reports, Syria plans to let Russia use its ports as part of the large arms deal signed between the two countries in the past year.

The breakthrough which led to the arms deal was made possible after the two parties resolved their financial differences.

Over the years, Syria had accumulated a huge debt of approximately $11 billion to Russia. The Russians recently conceded more than 70% of the debt. The remaining debt will be returned by Syria partly in cash and partly through permanent port services to the Russian Navy ships in Latakia and Tartus.

Israeli security officials estimated that the renewed Russian activity in these bases, which were active throughout the Cold War, was related to the renewed tensions between Russia and the United States, mainly in light of the American plan to station antimissile missile systems in Europe – a plan Moscow views as a threat to its security.

"The bases will allow Russia to protect its interests in the region," the sources estimated.

While US naval forces are permanently present in the Mediterranean, Russian Navy ships have so far settled for exercises and friendly visits to different countries in the region.

Since the Soviet Union's disintegration the Russian Navy has been experiencing a crisis, but in the past two years efforts have been made to rehabilitate the warships and the submarines.

The Russian Navy is known to massively operate spy ships.

Israeli officials estimated on Sunday that a renewed base in Syria will help the Russians carry out spy missions also against Israel, particularly electronic spying aimed at observing new weapon systems and the flow of information in channels used by the army and the defense establishment.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russia Uses Syrian Port To Demonstrate Its Power In The Med

Russia is expanding its military presence in Syria, developing an advanced naval port at Tartus and providing Syria with sophisticated missile technology.

The story of Russia's return to Tartus, Syria's second most important port after Latakia, broke a year ago. It is Moscow's only foreign naval outpost situated outside the former Soviet Union.

In June 2006 Russian media reported that Moscow had begun dredging at Tartus with a possible eye to turning what was largely a logistical base into a full-fledged station for its Black Sea Fleet, soon to be redeployed from the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol. But Tartus is much more than just a new home for the fleet; it allows projection of Russian power into the entire eastern Mediterranean, and, by extension, a flexing of military might before Israel and the West.

Russian sources said the country's military planned to form a squadron to operate in the Mediterranean within three years, built around the Moskva missile cruiser.

In addition, several respected Russian newspapers have reported that Moscow planned to deploy an S-300PMU-2 Favorit air-defense system to protect the base, with the system being operated by Russian servicemen rather than by Syrian forces.

According to these reports, the system would provide air defense protection for a large part of Syria.

Moscow and Damascus have also reached an agreement to modernize Syria's anti-aircraft network by upgrading medium-range S-125 missile complexes that were sold to Syria in the 1980s.

Another instance of secret activity at the port came on March 9, 2005, when yet another Russian Black Sea Fleet vessel, the Azov, supposedly carrying machinery for rebuilding the moorage at the Tartus technical base and replacements for obsolete items in the base's storage, left for Syria.

When it arrived at the port, several suspicious meetings between local authorities and Russian Navy officers took place, Russian media reported.

Less than two months later, Syria test fired new Scud missiles. The Syrians launched one Scud B missile with a range of 300 kilometers, and two Scud D missiles with a range of 700 kilometers. It is tempting to suggest that technologies for these projectiles were among the "equipment" brought on board the Azov.

The Russians have not stopped at moving missiles in their attempt to make an impression in the region. On one occasion they sent fighter planes into Israeli airspace.

In January 1996, the Russian Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov came very close to Israeli territorial waters. On January 27, it launched several advanced Su-33 fighters, the naval version of the Su-27. The jets ventured into Israeli air space near Haifa. IAF planes were scrambled to intercept, but a skirmish was avoided.

The incident was kept secret for six years and was only revealed in 2002 in an article in the Israel Air Force magazine.

According to the report, Russian planes entered Israel's airspace at least twice and several F-16 scrambled for an intercept mission after an intrusion alert was received.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russia Modernizing Syria Ports For Its Warships

April 15, 2010

The Russian Navy has been expanding cooperation with Syria.

Officials said the navies of Russia and Syria were enhancing cooperation over the last year. They said Moscow was modernizing naval facilities in Syria's port of Latakia and Tartous to accommodate Russian Navy warships.

"I am certain that we will witness new and significant progress in our bilateral cooperation in the near future," Russian ambassador to Syria, Sergei Kirpichenko, said.

On April 14, Kirpichenko welcomed the arrival of the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile cruiser, Pyotr Veliky, to Tartous, Middle East Newsline reported. Russia has modernized Tartous and deploys 50 naval officers to maintain and supply warships that operate in the Mediterranean.

"The Pyotr Veliky's visit to the Syrian port of Tartus is a symbolic event," Kirpichenko said. "It is a continuation of our historic ties with Syria that serves as a guarantee of our future cooperation not only in the naval sphere but also in other areas."

Officials said a large Syrian Navy delegation visited Pyotr Veliky. Pyotr Veliky has been deemed the flagship of Russia's Northern Fleet and was headed for an exercise in the Indian Ocan.

In September 2008, the Kremlin launched negotiations with the regime of President Bashar Assad to convert Tartous into a permanent Russian Navy base. Officials said Moscow also offered to modernize the Syrian Navy port at Latakia.

Tartous was said to have been expanded to accommodate large Russian warships. Officials said Tartous, with three berthing floats, could handle up to a dozen naval vessels.

Officials said the Russian Navy regards Syria as a vital base for operations in the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. They said Moscow has been training the Syrian Navy as part of the strategic arrangement.

"According to the Russian Navy, the naval base in Syria significantly boosts Russia's operational capability in the region because the warships based there are capable of reaching the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar in a matter of days," the Moscow-based RIA Novosti news agency said.

[Ryan Ruck]

Russian Nuclear Cruiser Makes Port Call in Syria

April 14, 2010

Russia's nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky has arrived in Syria's Mediterranean port of Tartus ahead of Russian Navy drills in the Indian Ocean.

A large Syrian naval delegation accompanied by Russia's ambassador to Syria, Sergei Kirpichenko, visited the Russian warship on Wednesday.

"The Pyotr Veliky's visit to the Syrian port of Tartus is a symbolic event. It is a continuation of our historic ties with Syria that serves as a guarantee of our future cooperation not only in the naval sphere but also in other areas," Kirpichenko said.

"I am certain that we will witness new and significant progress in our bilateral cooperation in the near future," he added.

Pyotr Veliky, the flagship of Russia's Northern Fleet, left the fleet's headquarters in Severomorsk on March 31 to join the warships of other Russian fleets, including the Moskva missile cruiser, in the Indian Ocean for large-scale naval exercises.

A naval maintenance site near the port of Tartus is the only Russian foothold in the Mediterranean.

About 50 naval personnel and three berthing floats are currently deployed at the Tartus site, which can accommodate up to a dozen warships.

According to the Russian Navy, the naval base in Syria significantly boosts Russia's operational capability in the region because the warships based there are capable of reaching the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar in a matter of days.

In September 2008, Russia was reported to be in talks with Syria about turning Tartus into a permanent base for Russian warships in the Middle East.