Russia denies its warships carry helicopters to Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia's state-run arms company denied on Friday, July 13 that any of its warships presently heading for Syria were carrying Mil Mi-25 helicopter gunships it had tried to deliver last month in a civilian cargo vessel, and said they were still on board that ship, RIA Novosti reports.

A group of Russian warships from the Black Sea, Northern and Baltic fleets are currently in transit to military exercises in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black seas, a Russian military official said.

The Russian-owned cargo vessel Alaed had to stop off the coast of Scotland on June 18 with a cargo of three Mi-25 attack helicopters on board after the British insurer Standard Club withdrew its cover for the ship. It later turned back and entered the port of Murmansk.

Femco, the Russian shipping company which owns the Alaed, later changed the ship's registration so it was Russian-flagged.

The Deputy Head of Russia's Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, said on July 11 that the Russian Navy would carry out its duty to defend Russian shipping in the event of a blockade of Syria.

The helicopters were the center of a diplomatic row in June after the United States accused Russia of supplying weapons which could be used against peaceful demonstrators. Russian denied the accusation, saying it was only returning aircraft which had been repaired under a previously agreed contract, and the weapons were not capable of being used against civilians.