The presence of naval ships from all of Russia’s four fleets in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden is part of planned combined naval drills in this strategically important region for Russia, a high-ranking official of the Russian General Staff said Tuesday, December 25, according to Russian media.

Groups of ships from Russia’s Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets will conduct anti-aircraft, anti-surface ship and anti-submarine warfare exercises with planned calling at foreign ports, including Tartus in Syria, he said.

On Monday, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov dismissed allegations by some media that Russian ships were carrying special task units and air defense missile operators to Syria.