The Ministry of Defense can send an aircraft carrier flagship of the Navy to the Syrian tartus

The command of the Russian Navy has not yet changed its plans to send at the end of the year to Tartus a heavy aircraft -caring cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. This was announced today by ITAR-TASS an informed source in the Ministry of Defense. According to him, the ship’s campaign was planned and is not aimed at increasing the Russian naval group in the Mediterranean Sea in response to strengthening tension in the region.

“At the end of the year, most likely at the beginning of December, the heavy aircraft -carcass cruiser of project 11435 Admiral Kuznetsov will go on a long sea campaign, during which he will go to the material and technical support point of the Russian Navy, deployed in the Syrian city of Tartus,” the agency’s interlocutor said. “Despite the sharply aggravated situation in this region, the Navy’s command is not refused From the planned campaign of the cruiser to the East Mediterranean.

The source refused to name the exact date of the cruiser's exit from the base point - Severomorsk. He also emphasized that the visit of the only aircraft carrier cruiser of Russia to Tartus is not related to the situation in Syria.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense officially does not yet confirm information about plans for the visit of Admiral Kuznetsov to Tartus. "Now the cruiser is under repair and will be ready to go to sea in early 2014. The decision on its possible approach to Tartus will be made closer to this date, depending on the situation in Syria," Interfax told the military department.

"Admiral Kuznetsov" is the only aircraft carriage of the Russian Navy. In addition to multi-purpose marine base fighters, the Su-33, the cruiser carries the Ka-27, 28, 29, 32 helicopters and their modifications. The Anti -ship complexes "Granit", the Air Defense Cort "Kortik", "Blade", and the Udav anti -submarine complexes are in service. The last time the Blagman of the Russian Navy made a business entry in Tartus in January 2012 as part of the ship aircraft carrier group.

As for the operational unit of the Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, ready at any time to take under its protection the Russian Plavmaster "PM-138" working in Tartus, it is expectedto update it in the near future. According to sources to the Ministry of Defense, the Moscow missile cruiser is sent to the eastern part of the Mediterranean from the Atlantic. Soon the Varangian missile cruiser may join the group. There is also information about sending a large anti -submarine ship of the Northern Fleet to the region.

Officially, the Ministry of Defense denies the availability of plans to build a group, calling the sending of new ships to the “planned rotation” to the region. The military department also emphasizes that Russia does not intend to take part in the armed conflict in case of aggravation of the situation in Syria.