“Syrian Express” is a conventional symbol in the Russian media for regular trips of Russian landing ships to Syria. The purpose of these campaigns, according to the most common version, was the supply of weapons and ammunition for the Syrian Armed Forces [1] [2] . According to official figures, the ships carried a kind of “special cargo” [3] . The choice of landing ships is based on the impossibility for third countries to detain and search them. Since 2015, the Navy has additionally started using bulk carriers purchased from Turkey and Ukraine for the delivery of goods [4] .
According to the official position of Rosoboronexport representatives, deliveries to Syria do not violate any international sanctions imposed on Syria [2] .
Content
Name Origin
Blogs often point to an analogy with Rear Express Admiral Tanaki’s Tokyo Express on Guadalcanal , which used ships originally not suitable for transporting military cargo - destroyers. With their help, the Japanese managed to achieve parity of forces with the forces of the allies in 1942.
The first mention of the name “Syrian Express” was noted in 2012 [5] . Gradually, this name spread to the media and blogs, often referring to the supply of weapons in general. “Express” in the phrase means “high-speed train”, which is associated with a high frequency of flights and short trip times.
Outside the Runet, the term is poorly distributed, but is found [6] .
Background
Syrian Civil War
At the beginning of 2011, riots broke out in Syria, gradually escalating into an uprising, during which diverse forces came together against the central government - deserters from the Syrian army, Islamists of varying degrees of radicalism. Attempts at a peaceful settlement did not bring results, and by 2012 there was a de facto civil war in the country, during which the Syrian army suffered significant losses - arsenals and entire military bases fell into the hands of anti-government forces.
Chariot Vessel Detention
January 11, 2012 Chariot vessel under the flag of the state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , owned by Westberg Ltd. , was inspected in the Cyprus port of Limassol on the way from St. Petersburg to the Syrian port of Latakia . It is reported that on board the Chariot were cartridges. Despite the embargo imposed by the European Union on the supply of weapons to Syria, the Cypriot authorities allowed Chariot to continue on the condition that the ship change its route. They expected Chariot to head to Turkey . However, then the Turkish authorities announced that the ship arrived at the Syrian port of Tartus , where the Russian naval base is located, and at the same time the instruments that disseminated signals about the whereabouts of the ship were removed from it. In this regard, the US authorities turned to the Russian authorities with a request to clarify the nature of the transported cargo [7] .
Campaign Scenario
Large landing ships come from their bases (at the beginning of 2014, landing ships of the Northern, Black Sea and Baltic Fleets participated in the campaigns) at the Novorossiysk Naval Base , where they take on board cargo - presumably humanitarian aid, and then go through the Black Sea Straits , Aegean and Mediterranean sea to the coast of Syria, where they are unloaded at the Russian logistics point in Tartus .
Vessels involved
Black Sea Fleet
- Azov
- "Caesar Kunikov"
- Yamal
- "Nikolai Filchenkov" [6]
- Novocherkassk
- "Saratov"
- Kyzyl-60 (formerly Smyrna, Turkey)
- Kazan-60 (formerly - George Agafonov, Ukraine)
- Vologda-50 (formerly Dadali, Turkey)
- Dvinitsa-50 (formerly Alican Deval, Turkey)
Baltic Fleet
- "Alexander Shabalin"
- Kaliningrad [8]
- The Korolev [9]
- "Minsk" [8]
Northern Fleet
- "George the Victorious"
- "Alexander Otrakovsky"
Civil Courts
Ferry-roller "Alexander Tkachenko" (in 2015, as usual used at the crossing to the Crimea) [10]
See also
- Syrian Civil War
- Russian military operation in Syria
- Tokyo Express
- Operation Anadyr
Notes
- ↑ Power of persuasion. Sight.
- ↑ 1 2 Syrian Express continues to work . Politicus.ru
- ↑ Russia Sends Warship With 'Special Cargo' To Syria . Business insider
- ↑ The Russian Navy used the bulk carriers bought in Turkey for the Syrian Express . Lenta.ru. Date of appeal October 15, 2015.
- ↑ Another Russian victory in the Syrian war: three official visits to save terrorists
- ↑ 1 2 Again, The Syrian Express: Nicholas Phylchenkov came from Novorossiysk to the shores of Syria | Encyclopedia of safety
- ↑ The United States wants to know what cargo the ship Chariot , BBC , brought to Syria (January 13, 2012). Date of treatment February 5, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 BSNews :: Large landing ships of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation passed the Bosphorus Strait and entered the Black Sea / Photo
- ↑ Russia in Syria: a top view
- ↑ Reuters: Russian ferry with cargo arrived in the Syrian port of Tartus from Novorossiysk
Links
- Syrian Express // Lenta.ru , October 6, 2015
- Russia sent a large landing ship " Caesar Kunikov " with a load of ammunition and weapons for the Syrian army // October 5, 2015
- Standing on the banks of the Bosphorus, watching Russian ships // RS / RFE , April 28, 2016
- The Syrian Express lives only at the expense of old landing ships // NG , Jan 17, 2018