Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 10)

20 May 2013 Leave a comment

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The Ropucha class landing ship 151 Azov passing through the Bosphorus on her way to the Mediterranean  Photo: Arda Mevlütoğlu. Used with permission.

As the Russian task force from The Pacific Fleet arrives the Mediterranean the crossing of the Black Sea and Baltic Fleet ships continue without any pause. According to Turkish news portals the Ropucha class large landing ships Azov, Kaliningrad and Alexander Shabalin have returned to their Black Sea base in 11 May 2013. Apparently it was a short stay as Azovis on her way the Mediterranean on 19 May 2013.

I thank my dear friend Arda Mevlütoğlu for this excellent shot of Azov.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
14/04/13 151 Azov Southbound
26/04/13 PM-138 PM-138 Southbound
24/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
24/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
24/04/13 Dubna Northbound
30/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
05/05/13 PM-56 PM-56 Northbound
05/05/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
11/05/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
11/05/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/05/13 151 Azov Northbound
19/05/13 151 Azov Southbound

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Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 9)

5 May 2013 Leave a comment

Russian naval ships continue to pass through the Turkish Straits without slowing their tempo.

Today the Alligator class landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov passed through the Dardanelles and entered into Marmara Sea. I was not aware that she had returned to the Mediterranean after I have seen in January.

The Alligator class landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov passing through the Dardanelles. Photo: Ahmet Güven. Used with Permission.

Alligator class landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov

The Alligator class landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov passing through the Dardanelles. Photo: Ahmet Güven. Used with Permission.

The Nikolay Filchenkov was not the only Russian warship seen in Turkish Straits today. The floating repair ship Amur class PM-56 passed through the Bosphorus. This ship seem to have more than enough antennas for a floating repair ship; very peculiar.

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The Amur Class Repair Ship PM-56 passing through the Bosphorus. Photo: Eser Çelebiler. Used with permission.

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The Amur Class Repair Ship PM-56 passing through the Bosphorus. Photo: Eser Çelebiler. Used with permission.

As reported earlier, tomorrow the Dergach (Project 1239) class air cushion patrol vessel 615  Bora will arrive in Istanbul for a 5 day visit. She will be attending the IDEF-13 defense exhibition.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
14/04/13 151 Azov Southbound
26/04/13 PM-138 PM-138 Southbound
24/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
24/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
24/04/13 Dubna Northbound
30/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
05/0513 PM-56 PM-56 Northbound
05/05/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound

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Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 8)

1 May 2013 1 Comment

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Russian landing ship 102 Kaliningrad passing through Bosphorus during a lovely late afternoon. Photo: Mr. Kerim Bozkurt. Used with permission.

The Ropucha class large landing ship 102 Kaliningrad made a south bound passage on 30 April 2013. She was last seen in Bosphorus on 24 April 2013. This was a quick return. I have no information about thew whereabouts of her companion 110 Alexander Shabalin but I bet she has passed through the Bosphorus the same day.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
14/04/13 151 Azov Southbound
26/04/13 PM-138 PM-138 Southbound
24/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
24/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
24/04/13 Dubna Northbound
30/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound

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Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 7)

28 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

The excellent and always well-informed Black Sea News website reports that the two Ropucha class large landing ships of the Baltic Fleet 102 Kaliningrad and 110 Alexander Shbalin have returned to the Russian naval Base Novorossiysk together with the tanker Dubna of the Northern Fleet.

The Kaliningrad and Alexander Shbalin have left Russia in mid April and I had the impression that they were heading back home as Alexander Shabalin is supposed to be attending Rouen’s  L’Armada event. But apparently they had to do one more round trip to the Mediterranean.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
14/04/13 151 Azov Southbound
26/04/13 PM-138 PM-138 Southbound
24/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
24/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
24/04/13 Dubna Northbound

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PM-138 Russian Floating Workshop Passing Through Bosphorus

27 Apr 2013 7 Comments

PM-138 passing through Bosphorus.

PM-138 passing through Bosphorus. Photo: Eser Çelebiler. Used with permission.

One of my readers, Mrs. Eser Çelebiler kindly shared her photo of PM-138 with me. She has an excellent blog Warships on The Bosphorus, with wonderful photos.

Filed under Bosphorus Tagged with , ,

Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 6)

26 Apr 2013 3 Comments

Today the Russian floating workshop PM-138 made s south bound passed through Bosphorus. She has entered Marmara Sea late afternoon.

I expect that she will pass through Dardanelles tomorrow. Her destination should be Tartus Syria, where her sister PM-56 is located. Obviously Russians are changing the guards in Syria.

I was driving when I saw PM-138, so unfortunately there is no photos from her passage I was not able to take any photos of her. But there are some excellent photos of her passage here and here.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
14/04/13 151 Azov Southbound
26/04/13 PM-138 PM-138 Southbound

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Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 4)

13 Apr 2013 2 Comments

The two Russian large landing ships 102 Kaliningrad and 110 Alexander Shabalin from Baltic Fleet are continuing their southbound journey. On Thursday these two passed thought the Bosphorus. Yesterday they have passed through the Dardanelles and left Turkish territorial waters.
I am delighted to share these excellent photos of Mr. Ahmet Güven. All photos in this post are his work and used by me with his permission.

I think now I know the destination of these ships. They are going back home. And they will do a stop over in Rouen, France. Well it was about time. These ship from the Baltic See Fleet are away from their home since December 2012.

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UPDATED: Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 3)

11 Apr 2013 7 Comments

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As the source is from a public webcam, the image quality is not very good but there are actually two Russian warships in it. I have marked them with red circles.

Two Russian large landings ships, Ropucha class 102 Kaliningrad and 110 Alexander Shabalin, which returned to the Black Sea on 25 March 2013 are sailing back to the Mediterranean today. I have no information whether they are going to Syria or to the Baltic Sea.  I would appreciate any additional information.

I hope I will soon have better photos of them. Now I have more photos of the southbound Alexander Shabalin. She seems to have spend most of the past 17 days receiving a fresh coat of paint. She was like a rust bucket when we last saw her and her companion Kaliningrad.

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Russian landing ship Alexander Shabalin passing through Bosphorus on 11 April 2013. Photo: Gökalp Kunt. Used with permission.

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Russian landing ship Alexander Shabalin passing through Bosphorus on 11 April 2013. Photo: Gökalp Kunt. Used with permission.

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Russian landing ship Alexander Shabalin passing through Bosphorus on 11 April 2013. Photo: Gökalp Kunt. Used with permission.

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Russian landing ship Alexander Shabalin passing through Bosphorus on 11 April 2013. Photo: Delku. Used with permission.

So this is the latest tally of Russian warship movements

Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
11/04/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
11/04/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound

Filed under Bosphorus, Dardanelles Tagged with , ,

Russia Sends Pacific Fleet Warships To Syria

7 Apr 2013 1 Comment

The Russians are really stretching their forces and their lines of communication to help a friend in need. The Syrian president Mr. Assad needs Russian protection and weapons to exist. And Russia is using every available means to support him even this support means to dispatch a group of warships from the other half of the earth.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced on 5th April 2013 Friday that a unit of Pacific Fleet ships are on their way to the Mediterranean in compliance with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s decision on keeping a permanent naval group in this region.

At the present time, a unit including the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine ship, the Peresvet and the Admiral Nevelskoi landing ships, the Pechenga tanker, and the Fotiy Krylov rescue towboat has left the South China Sea. The unit currently keeps moving toward the Suez Canal, which it plans to pass through in mid-May this year,” the ministry said. The cruise plan envisions calls at foreign ports for replenishing the stocks and rest time for the crew, it said.

It is not clear when the Russian task force composed of 6 ships left their home base in Vladivostok. But I assume it was shortly after the announcement of the decision to send Russian ships to the Mediterranean on March 11 by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. The ships are expected to pass the Suez Canal in mid May. The task force passed the Strait of Malacca and entered the Indian Ocean, a Pacific Fleet spokesman told RIA Novosti on Saturday. The amphibious ships of the task force are carrying unspecified cargo which will be unloaded at Tartus Syria, when the Russian ships will conduct a port visit.

It is absolutely a very long deployment and an excellent show of flag and solidarity with Assad from the Russian side. But with out doubt this deployment will take a considerable toll on the equipment and the crew.

The deployment of the Pacific Fleets ships to the Mediterranean means:

  • The ships of the Black Sea and Baltic fleets, especially the large landing ships of Alligator and Ropucha class are exhausted from their commuting between Russia and Syria since December 2012 and are currently unavailable
  • The unspecified cargo the amphibious ships are transporting cannot be carried by civilian ships
  • Russia will do its uttermost to keep Assad in place
  • These ships will not pass through the Turkish Straits and I won’t be able to take photos of them

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with , ,

Russian Warship Movements Through Turkish Straits (Part 2)

25 Mar 2013 4 Comments

Today two Russian large landings ships, Ropucha class 102 Kaliningrad and 110 Alexander Shabalin, returned to the Black Sea after spending almost one month in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

When I look at the photos I realize that both ships need a long overhaul periods to remove the strains of the recent deployments. All photos courtesy of Mr. Kerim Bozkurt. Used with permission.

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102 Kaliningrad in Bosphorus. The small ship in the background is the Turkish boom defence vessel P-305 TCG Ağ 5.

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Date Number Name Direction
27/12/12 151 Azov Southbound
27/12/12 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Southbound
01/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Southbound
09/01/13 152 Nikolay Filchenkov Northbound
09/01/13 151 Azov Northbound
12/01/13 142 Novocharkassk Northbound
14/01/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
14/01/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
16/01/13 151 Azov Southbound
04/02/13 151 Azov Northbound
04/02/13 150 Saratov Northbound
04/02/13 810 Smetlivy Northbound
04/02/13 Ivan Bubnov Northbound
05/02/13 110 Moskva Northbound
07/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
07/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound
08/02/13 Kildin Northbound
20/02/13 102 Kaliningrad Southbound
20/02/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Southbound
25/03/13 102 Kaliningrad Northbound
25/03/13 110 Alexander Shabalin Northbound

Filed under Bosphorus, Dardanelles Tagged with , ,

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