MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax-AVN) - A Pacific Fleet unit, which will come to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal in May, may visit the Syrian port of Tartous, fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"If this is necessary and the task is set, our ships will naturally accomplish it and visit Tartous," he said.
In his words, the Pacific Fleet unit will stay in the Mediterranean Sea for one or two months.
The total duration of the distant oceanic voyage of the Pacific Fleet ships may be five or six months. The voyage will end late in summer, the officer said.
The Pacific Fleet unit comprising the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine ship and the Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi landing ships will finish their business visit to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on April 24, then pass through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and possibly call at the Tartous port, he said.
"On April 24, after completing their visit to the Bandar Abbas port, these three vessels will go to the Indian Ocean, where they will meet with two support ships from this unit, the Pechenga tanker and the Fotiy Krylov oceanic rescue vessel. The ships will stay in this area for some time to undergo technical maintenance and minor repair, involving diving operations, and, if necessary, to combat piracy. Then, in line with the plan, the Pacific Fleet unit will pass through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean in mid-May, where it will be acting as part of a Russian Naval inter-fleet group for at least one or two months," Martov said.
A Russian naval logistics base is located at the Tartous port.