Russian floating workshop sails to Tartus for six-month stint
ST. PETERSBURG. April 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The floating workshop PM-138 of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is heading to the Syrian port of Tartus to replace the PM-56 vessel, which had been providing support for the Russian Navy's grouping in the Mediterranean Sea for half a year, a source in the Navy Central Headquarters told Interfax-AVN.
"The PM-138 led by 2nd Reserve Captain Aleksandr Kashalaby is to spend half a year providing repair and maintenance for the Russian naval ships and vessels that will be calling at the Russian material and technical base located at the Syrian port of Tartus," the source said.
The PM-138 is to replace the PM-56 led by Igor Bakuradze, he said.
The Russian vessel is carrying anti-terror groups from the Black Sea Fleet's separate marine brigade, he said.
The PM-138 crew led by Kashalaby was performing its tasks during the escalation of the Syrian crisis, he recalled. A few times, the vessel, having taken the Russian maintenance staff on board, would anchor in the port's roadstead to leave it immediately in the event of a dangerous situation but would then return to Tartus.