The Russian ship carrying troops from Syria has broken down in open sea

Russian cargo ship Sparta, photo: Military Intelligence Directorate

The Russian cargo ship Sparta, which transports weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from Syria, broke down at sea.

This was reported on December 23 by the press service of the Main Intelligence Department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

«The Sparta cargo ship, which Russia sent to transport its weapons and equipment from Syria, broke down during its journey ― the fuel pipe of the main engine malfunctioned. The Russian crew is trying to fix the problem and is drifting in open sea near Portugal,» the statement said.

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The remnants of the Russian contingent in Syria have finished consolidating from remote areas and are now only located in two places ― the airbase in Hmeimim and the naval base in Tartus.

According to the Intelligence Department, Russia has started transferring part of its weapons and equipment by sea from the port of Tartus to Libya.

«Russian military in Syria are also actively discussing the alleged demand of the new government of the Arab Republic to Moscow ― to completely withdraw its military contingent from Syrian territory, including bases in Hmeimim and Tartus, no later than February 20, 2025. This step is allegedly related to the new authorities in Damascus' desire to lift international sanctions,» they added.

What is known about the situation in Syria?

Rapid advancement of rebel groups in Syria began about a week and a half ago. They were able to quickly take control of Aleppo, Hama, and other important cities, moving towards Damascus.

Overall, the Syrian rebel coalition consists of Islamist and moderate groups who, despite their differences, have joined forces to fight against the Assad regime, the terrorist organization «Islamic State» (ISIS), and Iranian-supported militants.

The main force within the ranks of the rebels is called the «Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham» (HTS) group. It is believed to have the support of Turkey.

At the same time, Assad's main allies, Russia and Iran, have not provided real assistance to the Syrian president in holding back the rebel advance. It was reported that Russian and Iranian military personnel are being evacuated from Syria.

On December 8, Syrian rebels entered the country's capital, Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad flew out of Damascus on an airplane in an unknown direction.

Russia claims that as a result of negotiations with the rebels, Bashar al-Assad made the decision to leave the presidency and left the country, instructing the transfer of power to be carried out peacefully.

It was also reported that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, together with his family, arrived in Moscow. It is said that Russia provided shelter to Bashar al-Assad's family for «humanitarian reasons.»

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria occurred due to the weakening of Russian military presence, as the main forces of the Russian Federation are concentrated on the territory of Ukraine.