Satellite images show Russian activity halts at key Syrian port

Dec 12

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

Satellite images and ship tracking data reveal a sudden stop in Russian military and commercial activity at the Syrian port of Tartus following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government. Tartus, a strategic hub for Moscow’s Mediterranean operations since 1971, had been a center of naval and trade activity just days earlier.

Before Assad’s ousting, satellite imagery showed five Russian warships and a submarine docked at the port. By Tuesday, Dec. 10, those vessels had departed.

Two frigates remain off Syria’s coast, with their next moves unclear. Smaller Syrian naval vessels are still docked at Tartus. This has contradicted Israeli claims that recent airstrikes near Latakia destroyed Syria’s entire naval fleet.

Commercial shipping at Tartus has also ceased. Ship tracking data shows no vessels entering or leaving the port since Monday, Dec. 9.

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Two grain carriers en route to Tartus altered course and are now idling near Cyprus. Additionally, an Iranian oil tanker carrying 750,000 barrels of crude oil reportedly turned back in the Red Sea after Assad’s removal.

Syria’s dependence on Iranian oil to fuel its refineries raises concerns about potential shortages. Analysts warn the disruption could soon result in diesel and gasoline scarcities across the country.

Tags: Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Oil, Oil Supply, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Russian Defense Ministry, Russian Oil, Syria

[ryan robertson]

SATELLITE IMAGES AND SHIP TRACKING DATA REVEAL A SUDDEN HALT IN RUSSIAN MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AT THE STRATEGIC SYRIAN PORT OF TARTUS, FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD’S GOVERNMENT. TARTUS, A KEY HUB FOR MOSCOW’S MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS SINCE 1971, WAS BUSTLING WITH NAVAL AND TRADE ACTIVITY JUST DAYS EARLIER.

BEFORE ASSAD’S OUSTER–SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWED FIVE RUSSIAN WARSHIPS AND A SUBMARINE DOCKED AT THE PORT, BUT WITHIN DAYS OF THE REBELS TAKING ALEPPO–, THE VESSELS WERE GONE.
TWO FRIGATES NOW LINGER OFF SYRIA’S COAST, LEAVING THEIR NEXT MOVES UNCLEAR. SOME SMALLER SYRIAN NAVAL VESSELS REMAIN AT TARTUS, THEIR PRESENCE PROVING ISRAEL DIDN’T DESTROY ALL OF SYRIA’S NAVAL FLEET–JUST MOST OF IT IN AIRSTRIKES NEAR LATAKIA. .

COMMERCIAL SHIPPING ACTIVITY AT TARTUS ALSOGROUND TO A HALT. SHIP TRACKING DATA SHOWS THERE HAVEN’T BEEN ANY SHIPS IN OR OUT OF THE PORT SINCE DECEMBER 9TH .. TWO GRAIN CARRIERS EN ROUTE TO TARTUSCHANGED COURSE AND ARE IDLING NEAR CYPRUS. REPORTS SUGGEST AN IRANIAN OIL TANKER CARRYING 750-THOUSAND BARRELS OF CRUDE TURNED BACK IN THE RED SEA AFTER ASSAD’S OUSTING.

SYRIA’S RELIANCE ON IRANIAN OIL TO SUSTAIN ITS REFINERIES ADDS TO THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION. ANALYSTS WARN THE DISRUPTION IN SHIPMENTS COULD LEAD TO DIESEL AND GASOLINE SHORTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

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