Russian Surveillance Ship Suffers Fire Off Syria’s Coast
U.S.-funded Radio Liberty has reported that the Russian surveillance ship Kildin experienced an engine room fire or stack fire while operating off Syria’s coast last week. The incident was observed by French naval forces on Thursday but was not reported until Monday.
According to a source in the French navy as reported by RFI, the fire began around 1200 GMT and burned for approximately five hours. Despite offers of aid, Kildin reportedly declined assistance.
Kildin is a 55-year-old intelligence vessel constructed in Soviet-controlled Poland, part of a series of nine similar ships. RFI suggests that its role off Syria is to monitor communications to gather intelligence on the intentions and plans of Syria’s new rulers.
Cargo Movements Underway at Tartus
Satellite images obtained on Monday indicate that cargo movements have commenced at the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria, signaling a potential evacuation of military equipment that has been stationed on the pier for the past month.
Since the 1970s, Russia’s navy has held a lease on the northernmost pier at the port of Tartus, serving as its primary Mediterranean foothold. However, recent developments have brought changes to the region. Following the overthrow of the Russian-backed regime by U.S.-designated terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) in December, Russian troops retreated to Tartus and Hmeimem, where the Russian Air Force maintains an airbase. This political shift has left numerous military vehicles, including components of the valuable S-400 air defense system, stranded at Tartus.
Two military cargo ships, Sparta and Sparta II, were dispatched from the Baltic to Syria in early January. After weeks of speculation and negotiations between Russia and Syria, both vessels finally docked at the base last week. Recent satellite imagery shows significant changes at the piers, with Sparta II departing and a substantial portion of equipment previously stored next to its berth now missing. Sparta remains alongside, with a flurry of activity and containers visible in the surrounding area.
A large amount of Russian military equipment vanished from the Syrian port of Tartus with Sparta II’s departure, while Sparta vessel remains in port. The nearest loading area to the vessel has become densely packed with containers, as a @planet satellite image from Jan. 27 shows. pic.twitter.com/RHACg4ac3C
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) January 27, 2025