Glojo wrote
Why do you think Russia is trying to deny the destination of this battle group when for many months they have been quite happy to tell the World about this so called planned deployment?
Hi Glojo,
The callsign noted sending weather off Tartus, Syria might not be a part of the Task Force or a major warship? There are Russian Navy support platforms based at Tartus and this will also include small vessels.
Admiral Valentin Selivanov revealed in November.
"In Tartus now there aren't any our ships. There is only our floating workshop and storage platform. A month ago also there came the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship "Smetlivy", but she has already returned to Sevastopol.
I won't provide a link to the above as it sparks off my malware software warning.
It has been mixed messages over the past week or so in the Russian media. Some sources say no Tartus visit and others say a small visit. They are obviously very aware that positioning the Task Force in Syrian waters will send out the wrong messages to the international community. The last thing the Russians want is for Assad to interprete this deployment as direct military support and that he can safely ramp up the crackdown on his citizens.
From the Russian backed UN draft.
The draft demands that "all parties" in Syria stop violence. But it also includes a new reference to "disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities", in what is seen by some analysts as toughening of Moscow's position towards Damascus.
From
BBC News - Syria crisis: Russia circulates surprise UN resolution