. Military Space News .
SUPERPOWERS
Despite tensions, Russia's 'Syria Express' sails by Istanbul
By Stuart WILLIAMS
Istanbul (AFP) Jan 6, 2016


It's an occasional but regular sighting in Istanbul. Out of the mist on the Bosphorus that divides Europe and Asia looms the hulk of a Russian warship purposefully making its way to the Mediterranean.

Most likely the ship is part of Moscow's so-called "Syria Express", a key supply line for naval deliveries from its Black Sea ports to military operations backing the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Dozens of Russian warships, auxiliary naval cargo ships and sometimes even submarines have passed through the Bosphorus Strait, northbound and southbound. Every month since Russia stepped up operations inside Syria last year, according to maritime experts.

But the sight of a Russian warship in Istanbul is striking given that Moscow and Ankara are experiencing their worst relations since the end of the Cold War after the shooting down of a Russian warplane by Turkish jets on the Syrian border on November 24.

The two countries back opposing sides in Syria's almost five-year civil war, with Russia the key supporter of the Damascus regime while Turkey argues that the ouster of Assad is essential to solving the Syrian crisis.

Analysts say that Turkey is bound by the 1936 Montreux Convention on the Dardanelles and Bosphorus, a treaty that gives Ankara full control over the two Straits while committing it to allowing the free passage of naval traffic from Black Sea littoral states.

Under its terms, Turkey can only block Russian naval shipping if war is declared or if it feels under an imminent threat of war.

"Since there is no declared war between these two countries it is not possible for Turkey to close the Straits to Russian warships," said Cem Devrim Yaylali, Istanbul-based Turkish naval expert and editor of the Bosphorus Naval News website.

He said that even "in the worst days of the Cold War" -- pitting NATO member Turkey against the Soviet Union -- Ankara and Moscow both observed the treaty.

Mikhail Voitenko, Russian maritime expert and editor of the Maritime Bulletin website, said that the supplies delivered via the Bosphorus were a "lifeline" for the Syria campaign.

"Without the Syrian Express, the Syrian campaign would choke in days or weeks."

- Disrupt Syria Express? -

The ships come from Russia's Black Sea naval port or its Sevastapol base in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014 in a move opposed by much of the international community including Turkey.

After entering the Black Sea mouth of the Bosphorus, they sail through the iconic waterway in full view, passing famous landmarks like the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce and Topkapi Palaces.

They then sail across the Sea of Marmara before passing through the Dardanelles and turning south towards the Mediterranean coast of Syria and Russia's naval base at Tartus, its only such facility outside the ex-USSR.

Their passage, however, has not been without tensions in recent weeks.

Turkey accused Russia of "provocation" when a soldier aboard the Tsezar Kunikov was spotted on December 4 with a MANPAD shoulder launched missile aimed at the shore.

The Kilo-class Russian submarine Rostov na-Donu was also followed by a Turkish patrol vessel during its passage through the Bosphorus last month.

Almost all the naval traffic in the Bosphorus is Russian. However, the Arleigh Burke class US destroyer USS Ross made a passage in mid-December, possibly in a show of NATO support to Turkey at the peak of the crisis with Moscow.

After one of its planes was shot down just on the Syria border, Moscow has discouraged Russians from travelling to Turkey dealing a blow to the tourism industry and also imposed sanctions on selected goods.

But it stopped short of using the full potential array of sanctions and analysts say Russia may be mindful that Turkey could still disrupt the transit of materials to Syria.

Voitenko said Turkey could "disrupt the Syrian Express to a near fiasco without violating any of the international agreements on Straits shipping regime."

He argued that as well as the warships and auxiliary cargo ships, ordinary freighters are also involved and these could be stopped by Turkish authorities under any pretext.

"In fact, Turkey may stop the Russian campaign in Syria without a single shot fired...," he added.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
SUPERPOWERS
'No reason' for Russia to view US as threat: Pentagon
Washington (AFP) Jan 4, 2016
Russia has no reason to consider the United States a threat to its national security, the Pentagon said Monday after Moscow published a report highlighting Washington and NATO for the first time. Russia's new national security document, signed by President Vladimir Putin on New Year's Eve, names as threats both the United States and the expansion of the NATO alliance, according to the Pentag ... read more


SUPERPOWERS
Work on U.S. BMD complex in Poland expected to start in summer

Saudi intercepts missile fired from Yemen capital

Germany withdraws Patriot missiles from Turkey

Israeli missile interceptor passes final test

SUPERPOWERS
Lockheed Martin receives $528 million THAAD missile contract

Indian Navy test-fires long range surface-to-air missile

Lockheed Martin to supply 12 rocket systems to UAE

Iran has more missiles than it can hide: General

SUPERPOWERS
Tern moves closer to full-scale demonstration of VTOL UAVs for small ships

DARPA awards Northrop Grumman Phase III TERN contract

Drone helps icebreaker navigate treacherous Antarctic

Army unit retires Hunter unmanned aircraft systems

SUPERPOWERS
Raytheon to produce, test Navy Multiband Terminals

ADS to build one of two satellites for future COMSAT NG system

Thales and Airbus to supply French military satellite communications

Elbit upgrades tactical intelligence capabilities for Asian country

SUPERPOWERS
Russia's Uran-9 robotic combat system hits international market

Kongsberg receives CROWS program order

Turkey contracts Otokar for Cobra II armored vehicles

Forensic seismology tested on 2006 munitions depot 'cook-off' in Baghdad

SUPERPOWERS
Germany rethinking arms sales to Saudi Arabia

Germany warns Saudi Arabia it may review military exports

Pentagon needs to cut more civilian jobs, report finds

U.S., Russia dominate arms transfers to developing countries

SUPERPOWERS
China announces military reforms

'No reason' for Russia to view US as threat: Pentagon

PM Abe pledges to keep Japan out of war

Beijing rejects Vietnam protest over South China Sea landing

SUPERPOWERS
Building better fighter planes and space ships

Program seeks ability to assemble atom-sized pieces into practical products

New acoustic technique reveals structural information in nanoscale materials

Nanodevices at one-hundredth the cost









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.