Russia manages to transport S-300 missiles through Bosporus from its bases in Syria despite restrictions from

Russia has managed to transfer missiles for the S-300 air defense complex through the Bosporus to the Black Sea from its bases in Syria.

This was reported by Militarny with the reference to Naval News experts.

It is noted that Turkiye has closed the Bosporus to warships, so Russia cannot transfer its warships from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea.

The merchant ship Sparta II crossed the strait.

Sparta II's destination was Novorossiysk, a Russian port and major naval base near the Kerch Bridge. Naval News writes that the S-300 missiles should strengthen the Russian "defense" near Kerch or in other areas.

A battery of air defense systems has already been flown across the Black Sea, probably to support Russian troops in Ukraine.

We are talking about the S-300 battery, which arrived in Syria in 2018. They emphasize that the complex that the Russians are transporting is not one of those to protect the Russian Federation's bases in Syria or ports. This is a system that was located inside the country and was supposed to cover important infrastructure facilities.

It was believed to be a Syrian air defense system, but apparently Russia retained control over it.

Private intelligence firm ImageSat Intl. released images showing an empty garrison battery near Masyaf in Syria on Friday 25 August. Accompanying images taken on August 17 show the battery's vehicles lined up in the port of Tartus at the Russian naval base, with the freighter Sparta II waiting across the harbor.

The ship did not stay in the port for long. Overnight into August 24, the ship passed the Bosporus, and ship spotter Yoruk Isık published a video of the transit.

On what grounds the ship crossed the Bosporus is unknown, as Turkiye closed the strait in accordance with the 1936 Montreux Convention.

The publication reports that according to satellite tracking, the ship was moving towards Novorossiysk, the main base of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, it is not known exactly where this S-300 battery is moving. It is likely that the Russians will place it near the front line in Ukraine or in the occupied Crimea.

Sparta II is owned by Defense Logistics LLC, which was sanctioned by the U.S. in May and is controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The crew is civilian, but the cargo is often military.

As reported by Ukrainian News Agency, on March 19, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the use of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile to destroy the underground military base of the Ukrainian military.

We also reported that on August 8, the Russian occupiers used Kinzhal missiles to attack the Vinnytsia region.

We will remind, according to the head of the Center for Military and Legal Research Oleksandr Musiyenko, large-scale sanctions deprived Russia of the opportunity to produce hypersonic missiles.