Russian warships set sail to Mediterranean amid possible Syria evacuation
Russia Today, Dec 18 2012
The Neustrashimyy-class frigate Yaroslav Mudri and landing ships Kaliningrad and Aleksandr Shabalin, accompanied by a towboat and a tanker ship, have set sail from their base in Baltiysk, the defense ministry announced on Tuesday. They did not say whether the fleet would visit Tartus. The warships are being deployed as a contingency for the possible evacuation of Russian citizens from Syria, a source in the Navy told Interfax. The vessels could transport Russian nationals from the warzone to Russia’s Black Sea ports, the source said.
Russia sends warships to Syria to prepare for evacuation
John Hall, Independent, Dec 18 2012
Interfax quoted unnamed naval sources as saying:
Two assault ships, a tanker and an escort vessel have left a Baltic port for Tartus, to assist in a possible evacuation of Russian citizens. Preparations for the deployment were carried out in a hurry and were heavily classified.
3 foreign steel workers kidnapped in Syria
AP, Dec 17 2012
Three workers at a Syrian steel plant in Latakia, including an Italian, have been kidnapped, officials in Rome said Monday. The ministry statement said the two workers kidnapped with the Italian have other nationalities, but did not identify them. ANSA said the Italian captive works as an engineer at the Hmisho steel plant in Latakia, but that he was abducted near Tartus. Sky TG24 TV in Italy said the other two hostages are Russians, but there was no immediate confirmation of that. Interfax quoted Sergei Markov of the Russian Embassy in Syria as saying it’s looking into reports that two of the three captives are Russian.
Two Russians Abducted in Syria: Embassy
RIA Novosti, Dec 17 2012
The Russian embassy in Syria confirmed on Monday that two Russian nationals had been abducted near Latakia. “Two Russian citizens, who worked in the country, have been abducted near Latakia. The embassy takes search measures in close cooperation with the local authorities,” embassy spokesman Sergei Markov said. He said that circumstances surrounding the abduction are being studied and refused to give any further details citing security concerns. Italian media reported earlier on Monday that three steel mill employees, two Russians and one Italian, had been abducted near Latakia. The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed that an Italian national had been abducted. No group has so far publicly claimed responsibility and the hostage-takers have, as yet, not made any demands.
Niqnaq 
2 Comments
You and others have been trying to convince everybody that the Russians are going to evacuate their nationals. You and others wrote during the Russian fleet’s visit last year the same boring fabrications. Russia cannot evacuate their nationals in Damascus. Their nationals in Tartous only have to get on one of thirty vessels already in port. Stop your baloney and cheap propaganda. The Russian fleet is delivering new weapons systems to our army. That’s it. Take it and like it.
But this time the leak appeared in Interfax, which gives it a degree of credibility. Also, I added an item which suggests that two Russians are being held hostage. We already know for a fact that a Ukrainian journalist is being held hostage and that Nusra have said no Russians, Ukrainians or Iranians will be allowed to leave Syria alive. That’s verbatim.