Russian Ships Heading To Mediterranean

The Russian landing ship Novocherkassk crosses the Bosphorus on its way to the Mediterranean Sea.

Russia's Interfax news agency says four Russian ships are on their way to the eastern Mediterranean.

The report on September 6 said two large landing ships and a reconnaissance ship had passed through the Dardanelles Strait entering the eastern Mediterranean.

It said a third landing ship had left the Black Sea port of Sevastopol and would sail toward the eastern Mediterranean after picking up a "special cargo" in Novorossiisk.

Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said on September 5 that Russia was boosting its naval presence in the Mediterranean, "primarily" to organize a possible evacuation of Russians from Syria. It is unclear how many ships Russia has there.

The United States already has a strong naval presence in the region ahead of possible U.S. military strikes in Syria following a suspected chemical-weapons attack.

Based on reporting by Interfax and AP