A Russian ship under US sanctions sank after an engine room explosion

The Ursa Major was in the same region as another sanctioned Russian ship, the Sparta, when it ran into trouble and the two ships were seen transiting the English Channel under escort last week.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) reported that the Sparta was heading to Russia’s naval base in Tartus on the Syrian coast to evacuate military equipment from Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

Russia is in contact with Syria’s new rulers over the future of two military facilities, a Kremlin official said Monday. both at the diplomatic and military levels.

Oboronlogistika, the owner of the Ursa Major, has been busy transporting cargo to Tartus, although the Spartan’s destination on Tuesday was Port Said in Egypt.

On Monday, HUR reported that Sparta had left Portugal but that the problem had been resolved. The Ursa Major was also known as the Sparta III, so it was unclear which ship he was referring to.

It is not known what caused the explosion in Ursa Major as it passed between Oran, Algeria and Aguilas, Spain. However, an unconfirmed video showed the ship badly listed on Monday.

It was built in 2009 and was sanctioned following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to its owner’s role in delivering cargo to the Russian military.

Oboronlogistika said the cargo ship, which it described as the flagship of its fleet, was carrying 45-ton hatch covers for icebreakers, as well as large cranes for the port of Vladivostok.