Russia is deploying warships to the Mediterranean Sea
Russia is redeploying military ships to the Mediterranean Sea. According to Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, the ships are likely heading for ports in African countries.
It is possible that the Russian ships will call at ports in Libya or Tartus, Syria. Pletenchuk noted that Russia is using these ships to advance its interests in the region.
“Russia does not have the shortest routes to reach the Mediterranean. Therefore, I think we’re talking specifically about a presence in the Mediterranean—that is, Africa. One word, in principle, answers these questions. Because those ships are, in fact, military convoys. Previously, they used these vessels for the so-called ‘Syrian Express.’ Now they are simply returning to the Mediterranean, where they have many interests, bypassing Europe. No one will block them along the way. There’s nowhere to dock. The route is quite long. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why there’s a tanker in the convoy. On the other hand, to be honest, I, for one, don’t know exactly why the tankers are heading there,” Pletenchuk said.
He speculated that Russian ships might call at Libya, and possibly at the Syrian port of Tartus.
In general, as Pletenchuk noted, Russia often engages in maneuvers off the coasts of NATO countries, particularly in the Baltic Sea, where trade routes and maritime communication routes pass along the coasts of NATO countries.
“In fact, they (Russia—ed.) are delineating their zone of interest, flying their flag—sometimes these are purely practical exercises. To say that there is anything new about this—no. But given the statements by the Russian leadership regarding the United Kingdom specifically, and regarding the possible interception of merchant ships in waters closer to the so-called Russian Federation—of course, there is such tension, and that is why these events are being closely monitored by both the public and by the military,” said Pletenchuk.
He added that such monitoring takes place continuously, taking into account, among other things, hybrid threats, in which civilian vessels have been used for reconnaissance and other purposes.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, spoke about this on television while commenting on a statement by the Royal Navy of Great Britain regarding the monitoring of Russian ships in the English Channel.
The occupiers are hiding damaged ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the bays of Sevastopol.
On the night of August 26, 2026, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck facilities at the “Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez” LLC oil refinery in the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.
Ukrainian strikes since July have put seven of Wildberries’ ten largest logistics centers in Russia out of commission, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. In particular, following the attack on August 16, the company’s large facilities in Domodedovo and the “Koledino” industrial park ceased operations; the latter covered an area of approximately 250,000 square meters.
On the night of August 26, drones again attacked the Wildberries logistics center in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast, Russia, after which a massive fire broke out at the facility. According to Russian authorities, the fire covered at least 40,000 square meters, and one employee was injured.
Ukrainian drones simultaneously attacked a Lukoil oil refinery and a Wildberries warehouse in Russia.
