A Russian vessel carrying equipment from Syria has dropped anchor near Malta due to issues encountered at sea.

The cargo ship Sparta, owned by the LLC "Oboronlogistika," departed from the port of Tartus on January 26 and briefly activated its transmitter during the night on Tuesday, broadcasting its location.

According to data from the MarineTraffic website, Sparta is currently anchored off the coast of Malta. As reported by Radio Free Europe, Malta is presently listed as the ship's destination, although the port of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad region was noted as such after leaving Tartus.

On January 31, OSINT analyst Russian Forces Spotter, who monitors the export of Russian equipment from Syria, reported a potential fire aboard Sparta. He speculates that this incident may also involve a technical malfunction: photographs, which Radio Free Europe cannot verify, indicate that the large landing ship "Alexander Otrakovsky," which accompanied the vessels Sparta and Sparta II leaving Syria, had to turn around and approach Sparta closely—possibly to assist with repairs, as no country has granted the ship permission to enter its ports.

A maritime expert, speaking anonymously to The Insider, noted that smoke is emanating from the ship's engine. The cause of the smoke could be either a serious malfunction or a combination of issues, such as poor fuel and inadequate maintenance. "Black smoke primarily arises from an overly rich fuel mixture. Its appearance can also be triggered by faulty injectors, wear and tear on the cylinder-piston group, or the use of low-quality fuel," the expert explained.

Another cargo ship from "Oboronlogistika," Sparta II, which was the first to leave the port of Tartus at the end of January, has also activated its AIS transmitter. It is located in the Tunis Strait, with the Russian port of Kaliningrad indicated as its destination. Previously, experts suggested that Sparta and Sparta II might be heading from Syria to Libya.

UPD: Shortly after the news was published, it became known that Sparta has also started moving westward through the Tunis Strait. Judging by the data transmitted by its transmitter, the cargo ship is heading to Saint Petersburg.

• On December 24, the largest bulk carrier associated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, "Oboronlogistika" – Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean Sea after experiencing engine problems. According to one version, Ursa Major was also heading to Syria to pick up Russian soldiers and equipment following the fall of Bashar Assad's regime in the first half of December. Another version suggests the ship was en route to Vladivostok with lids for the nuclear reactors of new Russian icebreakers. Following the rescue operation, the bodies of two sailors could not be found. "Oboronlogistika" stated that the vessel sank as a result of a terrorist attack.