Russia’s navy has had no military presence in the Mediterranean since June. According to NATO officials, this is the first such instance in at least the past 10 years. UNN reports this, citing Defense Express.
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The last Russian ships left the region on June 30. The frigate "Admiral Kasatonov" and the supply tanker "Akademik Pashin" then departed the Mediterranean after replenishing supplies at the Algerian port of Oran.
According to NATO, Russian ships are currently much more active in the Baltic Sea and in the Atlantic near the shores of Northern Europe. The main reason is the need to escort tankers belonging to Russia’s "shadow fleet," which places an additional burden on the capabilities of the Russian Navy.
Russia redeployed ships to protect the "shadow fleet"
NATO is drawing attention to a serious shortage of supply vessels in the Russian fleet, particularly specialized refueling tankers. Their number largely determines how far Russia can deploy its warships while carrying out other tasks at the same time.
Despite the absence of ships in the Mediterranean, Russia maintains a naval presence in the English Channel. In July, the frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" replaced the patrol ship "Neustrashimyy." It regularly escorts Russian tankers through the strait between Great Britain and France.
Defense Express notes that British and French military forces are effectively not obstructing such escorts. In particular, in April, the Russian "Admiral Grigorovich" was even escorted by the British military tanker RFA Tideforce while passing through the English Channel.