Russia Sends New Marine Ship To Syria

From Reuters:

Russia is sending the naval landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov to the
eastern Mediterranean, state news agency Interfax said on Friday, reinforcing
its presence near Syria.

Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, says its vessels in the
eastern Mediterranean guarantee security as the United States considers
launching military strikes to punish Damascus for its alleged use of chemical
weapons.

"The vessel will dock in Novorossiysk where it will take special cargo on
board and head to the designated area of military service in the eastern
Mediterranean," Interfax quoted an unnamed navy source as saying.

It gave no more details and Russia's Defense Ministry declined immediate
comment.

Nikolai Filchenkov was not among vessels that the ministry said last
month would enter the Mediterranean as part of a planned
rotation.

The ship itself:

This is the third naval "landing" ship Russia has sent to Syria, following
the previously
reported dispatch of the Novocherkassk (150 marines on board) and Minsk (225
marines). According to the website of the Russian
Black Sea fleet, the Filchenkov can carry 300 troops + 1,700 tons including
about 20 tanks and various trucks or 40 AFV's.

And as a reminder from yesterday,
one can likely cross from Cyprus to Syria by stepping on ship hulls and not
getting wet.