Ukrainian journalist: Russia deployed additional warships in the Sea of Azov
The corvette Kerch of the coast guard of the Border Service of the Russian Federal Security Service arrived in Rostov on the way to the Azov Sea, stated Andrii Klymenko, the head of the Ukrainian civic movement Maidan of foreign affairs, on Facebook.
“On November 18, at about 19:00, the towing caravan bound from Petersburg-Yaroslavl to the occupied Crimea, which included a new Svetlyak-type corvette called Kerch, arrived in the port of Rotov-on-Don. It was towed by the tugboats SHLUZOVOY 65 (MMSI: 273999654) and BARS (MMSI: 273322620),” the journalist wrote.
According to Klymenko, the new modification of these ships now has a site for launching drones instead of a gun mount.
On September 6, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine decided to strengthen the naval presence in the Azov Sea.
In mid-May, after the completion of the automobile part construction of the Kerch Bridge, Russia reportedly relocated sea vessels, including the military ships of the Caspian flotilla to the Azov Sea. At the same time, Moscow referred to the need to strengthen security around the strategic facility [ the Kerch Bridge].
Since then, Russia has detained more than 148 Ukrainian and foreign merchant ships and interrogated crew members and other people who were on those vessels.