MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian military command does not consider the Syrian port of Tartus as an alternative to Sevastopol as the Black Sea Fleet's main base, a high-ranking official from the Russian General Staff told Interfax.
"The establishment of another base will definitely expand the fleet's operational capabilities, including as regards the presence in the Mediterranean. But there are no reasons to say that in the future the port of Tartus could become the Black Sea Fleet's main base instead of Sevastopol," the official said, in commenting on The Guardian newspaper's recent report suggesting that Russian naval ships could be redeployed in Tartus in view of Ukraine's threats to deprive the Black Sea Fleet of its base in Sevastopol.