A Russian naval contingency led by the missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky has arrived in the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, Russia’s Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday, according to a TASS report.
“Last week, our ship-borne air strike force led by the missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky made a passage through the eastern Atlantic into the Mediterranean Sea. On October 27-29, support vessels replenished the naval group with all types of supplies to the required level,” Shoigu said, noting that the fact that “certain countries” refused to let his ships dock in their ports did not hinder the mission.
“We were especially surprised by the position of certain countries which under the pressure of the US and NATO said in public they denied the request of our warships to call at their ports.” Shoigu said. “This did not affect at all the schedule of their traffic along the planned route as they are provided with all the necessary resources,” he said, however, “It is time for our Western partners to determine against whom they are really fighting — the the terrorists or Russia.”
According to Shoigu, the Russian forces which will regroup at the Khmeimim Russian airbase south-east of the city of Latakia, and at the Tartus naval maintenance base, in Syria, are well provided for, with 2,000 tons of goods that are delivered to them daily.
The Russian Northern Fleet’s aircraft carrier group began its voyage to the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea on October 15. According to data of the Northern Fleet’s press office, the group comprises the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, the large antisubmarine warfare ships Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov, and support vessels.