Russian vessels, fearing Ukrainian drones, are now navigating to Syria via the Atlantic Ocean, according to ISW.

The strikes from Ukrainian naval drones have evidently compelled Russia to significantly alter the routes of its ships between the RF and Syria.

This is mentioned in an analytical report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The Ukrainian National Resistance Center has provided evidence that it gained access to the "Mosaic" system – an internal tracking system for Russian ship and cargo routes reportedly used by Russia.

According to "Mosaic," in April 2023, the vessel "Sparta IV" was navigating between the Syrian port of Tartus and Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar region via the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits. The cargo ships "Sparta," "Sparta II," and "Sparta IV" belong to the "Oboronlogistika" company of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The center reports that in the spring of 2024, Russian vessels ceased to operate between Russia and Syria across the Black Sea, likely due to the threat of Ukrainian naval drone strikes in the Black Sea, analysts believe.

Instead, Russian ships have begun to travel to Syria from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea – bypassing the European continent through the Atlantic Ocean, despite this route being several times longer, notes ISW.

The appearance of Russian ships in the Mediterranean Sea on February 4 aligns with reports that Russian vessels are now traveling from Russia to Syria via the Atlantic, the report states.

At the same time, a significant number of Russian ships that had been in Tartus in recent weeks have left Syria, analysts from the institute note. Negotiations between the Kremlin and the new Syrian government regarding the retention of Russian bases in the country are ongoing, as stated the day before by spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

Background. Meanwhile, it has become known that the new Syrian authorities are offering Turkey to establish its military bases in the country instead of Russian ones.

Ankara opposes the retention of Russian bases in Syria, and the new Syrian administration is well aware that Putin aided Bashar al-Assad in waging war.