MOSCOW/ST. PETERSBURG. July 13 (Interfax-AVN) - The Alaed cargo ship carrying helicopters that Russia has repaired for Syria will call at the St. Petersburg port on July 19, Vladislav Grechka, a spokesman for the shipping company FEMCO, told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
"The ship's movement can be determined by tracking an AIS signal using open sources, from which you can conclude that the ship is moving. It is to arrive at St. Petersburg on July 19," Grechka said.
It was reported earlier that the Alaed, carrying Mi-25 helicopters that Russia has repaired for Syria, was moving from Murmansk to St. Petersburg and could then head for the Far East. It was said also that the vessel should reach St. Petersburg on July 17, where it would take more cargo on board and then head for the Far East. This information was published on the website of FEMCO, the ship's owner, earlier on Friday.
The Alaed was carrying the helicopters to Syria in June 2012 but was stopped near Scotland's coast after the British insurance company Standard Club had announced the severance of a contract for the ship on the grounds that it was apparently transporting weapons to Syria.
The Daily Telegraph reported on June 18 that the ship was carrying Mi-25 attack helicopters to Syria, which the latter had bought from Moscow back in the Soviet times and which had undergone maintenance and repairs at a plant near Kaliningrad.
The newspaper also reported that the vessel was carrying air defense systems. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said recently on Echo Moskvy radio, "The ship was carrying air defense systems, which can be used only to counter aggression from the outside and cannot be used against peaceful demonstrators on any circumstances. And, yes, it was carrying three helicopters after repairs."
The Russian state arms export agency Rosoboronexport confirmed officially on Friday that "the Mi-25s that are to be returned to Syria after maintenance in Russia are still on board the Alaed, which is heading from the Murmansk port to another Russian port."
Rosoboronexport denied media reports alleging that the Mi-25s in question could be on board one of the Russian naval ships heading for the Mediterranean for training exercises.