The British government revealed on Saturday that it had tracked six Russian merchant and naval ships carrying ammunition via the English Channel. The vessels, which were being followed by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, were said to be pulling out of Syria after the removal of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Russia has been gradually withdrawing its military equipment from Syria since Assad was ousted, a major blow to Moscow’s strategic interests in the Middle East, the UK Ministry of Defence said. British Defence Minister John Healey said the retreat proved Russia’s compromised position but cautioned that the nation remained a threat to security.
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These vessels were pulling out of Syria following Putin’s desertion of his ally Assad, but were still well-armed and well-stocked with ammunition,” Healey said.
Even with Assad’s downfall, Russia seeks to retain access to its Syrian naval and air bases in the new Islamist government that seized control after the ex-president fled to Moscow. UK defence ministry indicated that Russia’s war in Ukraine had compelled Moscow to give lower priority to its campaign to preserve Assad’s rule.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone this week with Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa the first time the two leaders have spoken since Assad left. The Syrian government subsequently announced that Putin had invited Syria’s new foreign minister to visit Moscow and was willing to review current bilateral agreements signed during Assad’s presidency.
The Russian embassy in London has so far not commented on the UK’s allegations.
