The ministry said on Tuesday that the flotilla has left the Baltic port of Baltiysk and is sailing for the Mediterranean.
It said the flotilla includes the frigate Yaroslavl Mudry, the landing ships Kaliningrad and Alexander Shabalin as well as two other vessels.
The ministry said that the Russian naval ships would carry out training drill after replacing another fleet in the Mediterranean.
Citing military sources, the Interfax news agency reported last week that the flotilla could be used to evacuate the Russians living in Syria in case the situation in the country worsens.
Russia, a key ally of Syria, has a small naval maintenance facility at the Syrian port of Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/18/278723/russia-warships-sail-to-mediterranean-sea/
This is low level pre-positioning, and a small component of force projection. The Russian government is saying to the parties involved, hey, listen and look! We have an interest here and you need to know we are watching, and can and will intervene if we believe it is required, be careful how you proceed. Less obvious will be preparations back in Russia and satellite areas, this is where the main indicators of build up and response will be found. Look for mobilisations on rail and road networks, leave recalls for personnel and families buying up goods like food and consumables in larger amounts with the male populations of garrison towns declining rapidly.
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