Shoygu confirms that Russia's sole aircraft carrier will be deployed to the Syrian coast
The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov will join the country’s naval group operating in the eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu, announced.
According to him, “the Russian naval group in the eastern Mediterranean includes at least six warships and three or four support vessels from all fleets. To increase the combat capabilities of the group, [we] plan to include the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov in its ranks,” Shoygu said.
According to Russian media, the Admiral Kuznetsov will join the country’s naval unit in mid-October. The mission is expected to last between four and five months. The Admiral Kuznetsov is a cruiser and Russia’s only aircraft carrier. For the majority of its service, this aircraft carrier has been undergoing repairs. Its regular repairs are coming to an end.
Russia was going to send an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean sea in the summer of 2016; however, these plans were initially abandoned when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of military equipment from Syria on March 15.