Crane.

This is coolbert:

Thanks to MARCO POLO through Harry we have some items of interests:

1. "GIANT FLOATING CRANE"

A giant floating crane as dedicated and designated for the sole exclusive purpose of servicing the Russian Borey class of missile firing submarines.

"Two new-type self-propelled floating cranes have been observed at the Russian submarine base Villyuchinsk on the Kamchatka peninsula. They were recently brought there from European Russia -- probably Sankt Peterburg -- where they were constructed."

"They are there to serve the Boley-class SSBNs [Borey class]. As you may remember, the second unit of the Boleys [Borey], Alexsander Nevsky, had arrived in the Far East last September, and the third unit, Vladimir Monomakh is expected to arrive early next year."

     "The floating crane (Project 02690) can lift 35--100 tons. It displaces 2,000 tons, is 50 meters long, 22 meters wide, has the range of operation of 3,500 nautical miles, and is crewed by 22 men."

2. Yet more Russian naval assets en route to Syria. 

"The Alligator-class LST 'Tsezar Kunikov' was observed . . . passing through the Turkish Strait [Bosphorus/Dardanelles/Hellespont], and heading for the Mediterranean. She is bound for the Syrian port of Taltus with a 500-ton load of military goods and supplies on board"
.

"Russian ship Caesar Kunikov (BDK-64). Caesar Kunikov . . . is a Project 775 (NATO reporting name: Ropucha-I) class large landing ship . . . She is currently in service with Black Sea Fleet's 197th Landing Ship Brigade, of the 30th Division of Surface Ships, and home ported in Sevastopol."

Russian elements in Syria not only have arrived but now must be sustained on a regular basis to maintain efficiency. NONE of this ever is easy, cheap or quickly accomplished.

coolbert.