Russia: Helicopter shipment turned away from Syria

Russian ship loses insurance for carrying helicopters to Syria

A Russian ship carrying helicopters to Syria is stranded off the coast of Scotland after losing its British insurance due to the nature of its cargo and its destination.

The Daily Telegraph quoted British security officials as saying they had told Standard Club that providing insurance for the shipment would likely breach European Union sanctions against Syria.

The United States notified the British government last week that the insurance on the ship was British, sister paper the Sunday Telegraph reported at the weekend.

The MV Alaed picked up its cargo of Mi-25 helicopter gunships from the Russian port of Kaliningrad, where they had been sent for servicing and repairs, the paper said.

Moscow originally sold them to Damascus at the end of the Soviet era.

The British government was not immediately available to comment.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Russia one week ago of fuelling the violence by sending attack helicopters to Syria, which she said were “on the way.”

Russia last week said it was not making any new deliveries of attack helicopters to Syria and has only carried out repairs of helicopters sent there many years ago.

Hmmm.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY 12:53 AM

The ship has now turned back.

Labels: Russian weapons, Syria

posted by Carl in Jerusalem