Russian landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov heads to coast of Syria - source

ST. PETERSBURG. Sept 6 (Interfax-AVN) - The large landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on Friday will leave Sevastopol for Novorossiysk, from where it will then depart for the coast of Syria, the General Staff of the Russian Navy told Interfax-AVN.

"The Nikolai Filchenkov under the command of Captain 2nd Rank Igor Dmitriyenko is immediately going on a distant mission today. The ship will go to Novorossiysk, where it will take special cargo on board and will head to its appointed combat service area in the Eastern Mediterranean," the source said.

The source in the General Staff of the Russian Navy said the warship has just returned to Sevastopol after four voyages to the Mediterranean from Novorossiysk. The ship had been working on tasks as part of the naval group since April.