Russia denies sending warship to Syria

Russia on Tuesday denied reports that the Kaliningrad landing ship of its Baltic Fleet was preparing for a visit to the Syrian port of Tartous.

The warship was taking part in the Kiel Week festival in Germany and was not heading to the Mediterranean sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that the vessel would return to its base after the German voyage, with no plan to visit Tartous.

Reports on the alleged visit were full of loopholes, and the only correct element in the reports is that "the Kaliningrad really belongs to the Baltic Fleet," a ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman also dismissed reports about major international exercises in Syria with Russia's participation as an attempt to instigate "further escalation" of the situation in the Middle East country.

Meanwhile, Bouthaina Shaaban, a political advisor to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on Tuesday also denied reports about the military drills, calling them "out of sync with reality."

The visiting Syrian advisor told local media in Moscow that the situation in Syria was like a "regional war" involving a lot of domestic and foreign factors.