After sailing eastward at a fairly steady speed for a few days, the Russian tug Churov is now almost stationary off the coast of Sollum, Egypt.
The tug has been navigating alongside the submarine Krasnodar, but we have no evidence that they are still together. Since February 21, the tug has remained in the same area, and the reason for this is unclear.
It is worth noting that on February 21, we detected unusual aerial activity over the Ionian Sea, though the reason for that remains unknown as well.
There are several possible explanations: the submarine might have left the tug behind as an escort while making a brief foray into the Ionian Sea, and the tug is now waiting for its return. Alternatively, technical issues could have forced the duo to halt while awaiting a resolution.
The weather conditions do not appear to be critical at the moment.
Today, at least two USN P-8 Poseidon aircraft took off from Sigonella and patrolled the area where the tug is located, clearly indicating an interest in monitoring the situation.
In any case, it is likely that the pair is merely passing through and heading toward the Suez Canal. At present, following the loss of Tartus, the Russian Navy no longer has bases in the Mediterranean.
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