LATEST: Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sinks in Mediterranean after explosion
The cargo vessel Sparta sent to Syria to bring out Russian military equipment broke down in the open sea and now drifts near the shore of Portugal, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) claimed in a post on Dec. 23.
Concurrently, marine traffic monitors show a Vladivostok-bound cargo ship, Ursa Major, previously registered as Sparta III and visually matching the picture published by HUR, moving at a very low speed of little over 1 knot in the open sea between Spain and Algeria.
“The cargo ship Sparta, which Russia sent to transport its weapons and equipment from Syria, broke down during movement. A fuel pipe of the main engine failed,” Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed.
“The Russian crew is trying to fix the problem and (the ship) is drifting in the open sea near Portugal.”
Marine traffic monitors show the Ursa Major sailing under the Russian flag and previously making port calls in St. Petersburg.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify whether the vessel was sent to Syria to transport Russian military equipment as HUR claims.
Russia, the main backer of the recently ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, began evacuating its military stationed in its bases in Syria. According to HUR, Russian military assets in Syria are now limited to two bases: the airbase in Khmeimim and the naval base in Tartus.
In an earlier statement, the agency claimed that losing the Tartus and Khmeimim bases would significantly damage Russia’s presence in the Middle East and solidify its defeat in the region.
According to the agency, the victorious rebel leadership is negotiating with the Kremlin to close their remaining bases in the country no later than February 2025.
What does Assad’s downfall mean for Russia and Ukraine?
As Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed in a matter of days, Russia’s influence in the Middle East appeared to wane. Preoccupied with its all-out war against Ukraine, Russia was unable to prevent the Dec. 8 downfall of its main ally in the region. The stunning rapidity of the rebels’
In a recent development, a cargo vessel that was sent to transport Russian military equipment from Syria has reportedly broken down in the open sea, according to Ukraine’s intelligence agency.
The vessel, which was carrying a significant amount of military equipment and supplies, was reportedly headed towards Russia when it experienced technical difficulties and was forced to come to a halt. Ukrainian intelligence sources claim that the breakdown was not accidental, but rather a deliberate act by unknown actors who are seeking to disrupt the transportation of military equipment to Russia.
This incident has raised concerns about the security of military shipments in the region and has sparked speculation about possible sabotage attempts by rival nations. The Russian government has yet to comment on the situation, but it is clear that this development will have significant implications for the ongoing conflict in Syria and the broader geopolitical landscape.
As more details emerge about the cargo vessel’s breakdown and the potential motives behind it, the international community will be closely monitoring the situation to see how it unfolds. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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- Cargo vessel breakdown
- Russian military equipment
- Syria transport
- Open sea incident
- Ukraine intelligence report
- Military equipment transportation
- Sea vessel malfunction
- Russian Syria cargo
- Naval breakdown
- Ukraine intel claim
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