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Syrian Express

{{Multiple issues|

{{Expand Russian|date=April 2022}}

{{expand Ukrainian|date=May 2023}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

File:Istanbul Bosphorus Large landing ship Aleksandr Shabalin IMG 8149 1920.jpg on 23 November 2013]]

The Syrian Express is the name used to describe the regular supply voyages through the Bosporus{{cite news |date=28 October 2024 |title=Russia forced to resupply Syrian base bypassing Europe — Ukrainian Navy |url=https://global.espreso.tv/world-news-russia-forced-to-resupply-syrian-base-bypassing-europe-ukrainian-navy |work=Espreso TV |access-date=24 December 2024}} to Ba'athist Syria, in particular using amphibious warfare ships of the Russian Navy, that were made during the Syrian civil war (2011–2024).{{cite news |date=2019-09-27 |title=Mereväebaas Süürias kinnistab Venemaa kanda Vahemerel |trans-title=Naval base in Syria consolidates Russia's foothold in the Mediterranean Sea |url=https://maailm.postimees.ee/6788055/merevaebaas-suurias-kinnistab-venemaa-kanda-vahemerel |newspaper=Postimees |agency=Agence France-Presse; Baltic News Service |language=et |access-date=2022-03-24}}{{cite web |date=27 December 2017 |title=Syrian Express on the NATO Flank |url=https://warsawinstitute.org/syrian-express-nato-flank/ |website=Russia Monitor |publisher=Warsaw Institute |access-date=24 December 2024}} Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 the Turkish authorities were persuaded to implement terms of the Montreux convention, banning the passage of further military vessels through the Bosporus.{{Cite web |title=Turkey, overseeing passage to Black Sea, calls Russian invasion 'war' |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/turkey-overseeing-passage-to-black-sea-calls-russian-invasion-war/ar-AAUmNaD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227103836/http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/turkey-overseeing-passage-to-black-sea-calls-russian-invasion-war/ar-AAUmNaD |archive-date=2022-02-27 |access-date= |website=MSN News |language=en-US}} With the fall of the Syrian regime the change in nature of the Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war will lead to a further change in the nature of the traffic using this route.{{cite web |last1=Åtland |first1=Kristian |title=Redrawing borders, reshaping orders: Russia’s quest for dominance in the Black Sea region |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09662839.2021.1872546#d1e537 |access-date=26 December 2024 |doi=10.1080/09662839.2021.1872546#d1e537 |date=3 April 2021}}

Name

The supply route to Syria was dubbed the "Syrian Express" by Russian sailors{{cite magazine |last=Gorbenko |first=Aleksandr |date=2013-05-15 |title=Ещё одна победа России в сирийской войне: три официальных визита ради спасения террористов |trans-title=Another Victory for Russia in the Syrian War: Three Official Visits to Save Terrorists |url=http://www.odnako.org/blogs/eshchyo-odna-pobeda-rossii-v-siriyskoy-voyne-tri-oficialnih-vizita-radi-spaseniya-terroristov/ |magazine=Odnako |language=ru |access-date=2014-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322182338/http://www.odnako.org/blogs/eshchyo-odna-pobeda-rossii-v-siriyskoy-voyne-tri-oficialnih-vizita-radi-spaseniya-terroristov/ |archive-date=2014-03-22 |url-status=dead}} after its launch in 2012.{{cite journal |last=Moss |first=Richard A. |date=October 2023 |title=The Syrian Express and a Russian String of Pearls? |url=https://archives.norwich.edu/digital/collection/jpws/id/39/ |edition=5th |journal=Journal of Peace and War Studies |pages=105–124 |access-date=25 December 2024}} Presumably, it is a reference to the Imperial Japanese Navy's Tokyo Express, supplying Japanese forces during the Guadalcanal campaign in the Pacific theater of World War II.{{cite thesis |last=Kollakowski |first=Tobias |year=2023 |title=Early 21st Century Russian Naval Strategy at Europe's Southern Maritime Flank: Continental Power, Fleet Design and Naval Operations |url=https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/244461697/2023_Kollakowski_Tobias_1627054_ethesis.pdf |degree=PhD |publisher=King's College London |page=238 |access-date=25 December 2024}}

Ships involved

=Black Sea Fleet=

==197th Landing Ship Brigade==

  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Azov||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian ship|Tsezar Kunikov||2}} (out of service)
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Yamal||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Nikolai Filchenkov||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Novocherkassk||2}} (out of service)
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Saratov||2}} (out of service)

;Others

  • Kyzyl-60 (ex-Smyrna, Turkey)
  • {{ill|Kazan-60|ru|Казань-60|lt=Kazan-60}} (ex–Georgy Agafonov, Ukraine)
  • Vologda-50 (ex-Dadali, Turkey)
  • Dvinitsa-50 (ex–Alican Deval, Turkey)

=Baltic Fleet=

  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Aleksandr Shabalin||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Kaliningrad||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Korolyov||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Minsk||2}}

=Northern Fleet=

  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Georgy Pobedonosets||2}}
  • {{ship|Russian landing ship|Aleksandr Otrakovsky||2}}

=Civilian vessels=

  • MV Alexander Tkachenko

==Other logistic vessels==

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://warsawinstitute.org/russia-launches-syrian-express-operation-turkey-attacks-idlib/ Russia Launches Syrian Express Operation as Turkey Attacks in Idlib]. Warsaw Institute, 3 March 2020

Category:Military history of the Mediterranean

Category:Naval history of Russia

Category:Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war