Russia reportedly moves ship loaded with cruise missiles to Syrian coast

Russian navy ships practice military exercises in the Black Sea.
(Image credit: VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

A Russian frigate loaded with cruise missiles is expected to enter the Mediterranean on Friday, bound for the Syrian port of Tartus, the Russian news agency TASS reports. The Admiral Grigorovich is reportedly on a routine voyage, but tensions remain high as Russia pledged to help Syria strengthen its air defenses and suspended a deal with the U.S. to avoid mid-air incidents following an American attack on a Syrian airbase early Friday.

A person familiar with the ship's movements told TASS that the frigate will stay off Syria's coasts for as long as the situation calls for, but "in any way it will last more than a month."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.