 |
|
The Admiral Kuznetsov will join Russian vessels already off the Syrian coast
|
Russia has withdrawn a request for
three warships to dock at the Spanish port of Ceuta for refuelling,
following concern among Nato allies.
The Spanish foreign ministry says the stopovers have now been cancelled. Spain had been coming under pressure from Nato allies not to allow the refuelling of Russian warships bound for Syria.
 |
|
The warships were expected to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday
|
A battle group has been sailing for the past week from Russia to the Mediterranean. "Given
the information which appeared on the possibility that these ships
would participate in supporting military action in the Syrian city of
Aleppo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested clarification from the
embassy of the Russian Federation in Madrid," the foreign ministry said
in a statement to the BBC.
It added that permission had been
granted in September for three Russian ships to dock in Ceuta between 28
October and 2 November. It said such stops for Russian naval vessels
had taken places for years in Spanish ports.