After the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War, it was announced that Bosphorous had been closed for the belligerent states’ fleets. Yörük IŞIK, who photographs the ships by following the traffic in Bosphorus and provides open source intelligence, shared on 5 March 2023 that the Russian-flagged civilian cargo ship named Sparta IV, which is owned by SC SOUTH LLC and was sanctioned by the USA, passed through the Bosphorous on its way from Tartus to Novorossiysk with the military cargo it carried, and set sail to the Black Sea.
Repatriation of military equipment: @USTreasury sanctioned SC SOUTH LLC owned Russia flag vessel Sparta IV, itself sanctioned for being linked to SOUTH, transited Bosphorus toward BlackSea en route from Tartus to Novorossiysk carrying military cargo. Civilian vessel in name only. pic.twitter.com/QDy5q6ByOq
— Yörük Işık (@YorukIsik) March 5, 2023
The mentioned closure decision did not apply to civilian ships. In this regard, many civilian ships such as the ones departing from the port of Tarsus to Russia, ships carrying smuggled wheat smuggled from Ukraine, and civilian ships shot down in the war passed through the strait.
Naval News writer HI SUTTON shared his catches on the cargo carried by the ship in question in his article on the subject. He wrote:
“Sparta IV is one of four ships owned by SC South LLC, a Russian shipping company which is involved in transporting military equipment. The company and the ship have been sanctioned by the U.S. Government under Specially Designated Nationals list (SDN) following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian media previously reported that the ship arrived in Tartus in Syria carrying humanitarian aid. This followed the devastating earthquake on February 6. The aid was carried in shipping containers on deck.
Subsequent to this the vessel was loaded in the Russian naval base at Tartus. The loading involved distinctive military vehicles, and the ship’s large holds were opened during this time. As she sailed through the Bosporus she had a declared draught of 6.2 meters (20 feet) suggesting a heavy load. This is supported by the photographic evidence. Shipping containers have been placed on the deck but what is in them, or in the hold, is naturally not visible.
Prior to entering the Bosporus she was observed on March 1 2023 sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean, away from Tartus. She appeared to be escorted by a Russian Navy Project 20380 Steregushchiy class missile corvette. A naval escort reinforces the suspicion that she is carrying a sensitive cargo.
The movement is part of a pattern. MV Sparta IV is a related vessel to the one which shipped Russian S-300 air defense missiles in August 2022. That shipment, on Sparta II, also set off from Tartus in Syria and was delivered to Novorossiysk. Sparta IV has herself previously been noted conducting similar suspected arms shipments to Novorossiysk.”
***BREAKING***
A #Russian ship loaded with war supplies (highly likely) has sailed into the Black Sea, from Syria
It apparently shipped humanitarian aid one way, and military gear for the invasion of #Ukraine the other
Photo by @YorukIsik #OSINT https://t.co/dcgcTszjou
— H I Sutton (@CovertShores) March 5, 2023
