We’ve tried to put together a quick report on the naval situation in the central and eastern Mediterranean.
NATO
NATO currently has 3 aircraft carriers available in the Mediterranean:
1) The US aircraft carrier USS Truman (CVN-75) and its CSG (Combat Strike Group) after leaving Souda is now sailing in the Southern Adriatic.
2) The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) left Piraeus and today has arrived in Souda.
3) The Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (C550) is in Taranto.
RUSSIA
Russian forces are currently divided as follows:
1) Surface Action Group (SAG) of the cruiser Varyag is in the Ionian Sea (or at least was there last week).
2) SAG of the cruiser Ustinov is located south of Crete where it can interdict access to the Aegean or Eastern Mediterranean.
3) east of Crete we have detected an intense activity of the NATO anti-submarine aircrafts which leads us to suppose that the Akula class submarine is in the area (the other two Kilo should be further east)
4) the remaining naval units are either in Tartus or nearby