As noted, the ship was loaded in Syria and sailed with a Russian Navy escort. It’s expected to unload in Novorossiysk, Russia, a base heavily involved in the Ukraine invasion.
The Bosporus Straits running through Istanbul and Turkish sovereign waters are reportedly closed to warships due to the Ukraine war. Russia has used merchant vessels and auxiliaries to move war supplies via the straits.
Per Naval News, the Sparta IV is one of the four vessels owned by...