Russia sends warships amid talk of possible Syria evacuation
Russia's Defense Ministry is sending a new group of warships to
Syria and the commander of the country's Airborne Forces said his
troops are ready in the event that it proves necessary to evacuate
Russian nationals from the country, Radio Liberty reported.
The Defense Ministry said on December 18 that ships from the Baltic
Fleet would replace vessels from the Black Sea Fleet that are
currently in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Russia's Interfax news agency cited a "source" in the Baltic Fleet
as saying the vessels were bound for Syria "to assist in a possible
evacuation of Russian citizens."
The report could not be confirmed.
But Airborne Forces commander General Vladimir Shamanov said on
December 17 that his forces have experience evacuating Russians
from "hot spots" and are ready to perform this task if it received
presidential orders to do so.