newsweek.com
Russia, Stretched by Ukraine, Pulls All Warships From Mediterranean Sea
Russia has no warships deployed in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in a decade, the latest example of how much Moscow is exerting itself after almost four and a half years of full-scale war in Ukraine. The last two Russian military ships in the Mediterranean Sea left the area on June 26, 2026, a NATO official told Newsweek, speaking on a condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject matter. The ships' exit marks the first time since 2016 that Russia's military hasn't had a naval presence in the Mediterranean, and it points to the strain Moscow is under with its bruising war effort in eastern Europe, as the conflict churns on with no end in sight. Read More on World The departure is also an indication of the resources the Kremlin has for months expended in escort missions for Russian merchant vessels, including along routes near European coastlines. Russia has historically kept ships in the Mediterranean as a counterbalance to NATO dominance along the northern edge of the sea, swapping vessels in and out of the Syrian port of Tartus, Russia's only naval support facility on the Mediterranean. Moscow yanked most of its forces from...