Russia sends warships to Med

Russia is sending two warships to the east Mediterranean, Interfax news agency said on Thursday, but Moscow denied this meant it was beefing up its naval force there as Western powers prepare for military action againstSyria.

Interfax quoted a source in the armed forces' general staff as saying Russia, Syria's most powerful ally, was deploying a missile cruiser from the Black Sea Fleet and a large anti-submarine ship from the Northern Fleet in the "coming days".

Any strengthening of the navy's presence could fuel tension, especially as the United States has said it is repositioning naval forces in the Mediterranean following an alleged chemical weapons attack which it blames on Syrian government forces.

"The well-known situation now in the eastern Mediterranean required us to make some adjustments to the naval force," the source said in a reference to the events in Syria.

It was not clear when the vessels would arrive but Interfax said the Moskva missile cruiser was currently in the North Atlantic and would set sail in the next few days.

President Vladimir Putin has said the naval presence is needed to protect national security interests and is not a threat to any nation. Russia cooperates with Nato navies against piracy and its ships call at Western ports.

The navy later indicated a deployment was imminent in the Mediterranean but gave no details except to say it would be part of a long-planned rotation and suggested it would not increase the size of Russian forces there.

"This is not a new group ... but a planned rotation," an highly-placed navy official who was not identified told state-run RIA news agency.

The reason for the discrepancy in the reports by Interfax and RIA was not clear but confusion has at times surrounded previous Russian deployments in the Mediterranean because of the secrecy involved. The Defence Ministry declined comment.

Defence experts said the deployment of the two warships identified by Interfax could give Assad early warning of cruise missile launches, particularly by submarine, or jam radars or navigation systems although they might never be used for this.

"What we may be seeing here is an example of gunboat diplomacy rather than a deliberate attempt to interfere directly in any coalition strike militarily," said Lee Willett, editor ofIHS Jane's Navy International.

"The simple presence of any ships will have an impact politically, and that is the primary intent."

Russia's chief of staff said in June the navy had stationed16 warships and three ship-based helicopters in the Mediterranean, its first permanent naval deployment there since Soviet times.

US sends fifth destroyer to eastern Med

The US Navy has deployed a fifth destroyer to the eastern Mediterranean, a defence official told AFP on Thursday, as expectations grow of an imminent strike on Syria.

The USS Stout, a guided missile destroyer, is "in the Mediterranean, heading and moving east" to relieve the USS Mahan, said the official, who said both ships might remain in place for the time being.

Britain sends six Typhoon jets to Cyprus base

Britain has sent six RAF Typhoon jets to its Akrotiri base in Cyprus in a move to protect British interests as tensions grow over Syria, the Ministry of Defence said Thursday.

The jets will not take part in any direct military action, the ministry said, as the British parliament debates a government motion on a possible response to the chemical attack near Damascus last week.

"This is purely a prudent and precautionary measure to ensure the protection of UK interests and the defence of our Sovereign Base Areas at a time of heightened tension in the wider region," the ministry said.

"They are not deploying to take part in any military action against Syria."

British Forces Cyprus confirmed that the six jets had arrived at the Akrotiri base.

"There are Typhoons on the ground at Akrotiri," a BFC spokesman told AFP.

British Prime Minister David Cameron was Thursday facing an uphill struggle to secure parliament's approval for military intervention in Syria after the main opposition party said it would vote against the motion.

Cameron told parliament on Thursday that he was convinced the Syrian regime was behind a chemical weapons attack, but admitted there was no "100-percent certainty".

Opening a debate in the specially recalled House of Commons, Cameron told lawmakers that they had to "make a judgment".

Camron said on Thursday it was "unthinkable" that Britain would launch military action against Syria to punish and deter it from chemical weapons use if there was strong opposition at the United Nations Security Council.

"It would be unthinkable to proceed if there was overwhelming opposition in the (U.N.) security council," Cameron told parliament, when asked if Britain would press ahead with action if there was strong opposition at the United Nations.


 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.