Russian evacuation efforts stalled as Syrian authorities deny port access to Sparta II cargo ship
Russian cargo vessel Sparta II has been unable to dock for over four days as new Syrian authorities refuse entry, jeopardizing Russia's efforts to evacuate military assets following the regime change in Syria. The ship, which aims to enter the strategic port of Tartus, home to Russia's sole naval base outside its borders, remains adrift. This comes amid mounting evidence from marinetraffic.com, OSINT analysts, and military correspondents.
Sparta II set sail from Baltiysk in Russia's Kaliningrad region on December 11 and arrived off the Syrian coast by January 5. Since then, the vessel has been unable to secure port access, likely due to its prior sanction-listed activities transporting equipment from Crimea to Syria. The stalemate virtually halts evacuations, as noted by Maritime Executive.
Satellite imagery from Maxar reveals improvements in Russian military equipment assembly at Tartus, including over 100 trucks and dismantled air defense radar stations. Despite the buildup, these assets remain at the base, with no ships docked for loading. Khmeimim airbase is currently the only evacuation route, with regular Russian military ministry flights, according to OSINT analyst Oliver Alexander.
In response to the incident, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea area to monitor "Sparta II." Earlier events saw the withdrawal of the Russian fleet from Tartus in December after Syrian rebels advanced on Damascus, ending nearly 25 years of Assad’s rule.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed ongoing negotiations with new Syrian authorities regarding the status of Russian bases in the country on December 16. Following Bashar al-Assad's overthrow, Russia continues a strategic pullback from northern frontlines and Alawite mountains posts yet remains determined to maintain its two key installations – the Tartus naval port and Hmeimim airbase. Earlier reports by Bloomberg indicated Russia’s ongoing talks with Syria’s new government about preserving these crucial military footholds.