A large caravan of military cargo ships, all under sanctions and with a long history of transporting military cargo for the Russian Ministry of Defense, is forming at the port of Baltiysk in Kaliningrad, Russia. These ships seem to be preparing for departure.
Background and Objectives of the Caravan
The port of Baltiysk is known as a gathering point for protected cargo ships, which typically head towards the Mediterranean or West Africa. These ships are usually used to support the activities of the state mercenary group, Wagner, which assists military governments against threats from extremist Islamic groups.
The ships currently in this caravan include "Lady R" (IMO 9161003), "Askalon" (IMO 9198226), "Lady D" (IMO 9349289), "Sparta" (IMO 9268710), and "Anastasia" (IMO 9349291). These ships are currently at Baltiysk or anchored near the port and appear to have completed their loading from Saint Petersburg.
Loading Details and Military Equipment
On October 27, the ship "Sparta" was loading military vehicles alongside "Anastasia" and "Lady D," while "Askalon" was positioned at the opposite dock. By October 30, "Askalon," "Anastasia," and "Sparta" had completed their loading and were moved to the anchorage near the port, while "Lady R" was en route from Saint Petersburg to Baltiysk.
Also at the port on October 27, the destroyer of the "Sovremenny" class named "Nastoychivy" (D610), which has been under repair since 2019, was present as the flagship of the Baltic Fleet. This destroyer remains inactive and will soon be unable to move. Additionally, a corvette of the "Steregushchy" class is also present at this port, typically used to escort military cargo ships.
This situation indicates that the Russian Navy may be attempting to reduce the need for escort ships by sending military cargo ships in groups under the supervision of a single warship. As they approach the Strait of Gibraltar and pass through areas with a high likelihood of maritime intervention, these ships could be divided towards various destinations. It is possible that these ships do not carry fuel cargo and are not heading to a single destination unless Russia is planning for a new large-scale intervention or seeking to attack a new area.
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