A Russian navy warship, the Marshal Shaposhinkov, made a notable arrival at Eritrea’s primary Red Sea port of Massawa amidst regional tension stirred by Iran-backed Houthi militants.
Senior Eritrean military officials and dignitaries greeted the vessel upon its docking on Thursday, alongside Russia’s ambassador to Eritrea.
Eritrea’s Minister of Information, Yemane Gebre Meskel, revealed that the frigate belongs to Russia’s Pacific Fleet, clarifying that its presence marked the “30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Russia and Eritrea”.
Amid concerns over Houthi attacks, a US naval task force patrols the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to safeguard commercial and military vessels navigating the critical trade route.
Eritrea, historically wary of Western military presence in the region, has recently strengthened its relationship with Moscow.
Houthi militants, controlling northern Yemen, have targeted ships in the Red Sea amid conflict in Gaza, aligning themselves with the “axis of resistance” against Israel. Despite claims of targeting Israeli-affiliated vessels, they’ve attacked others unrelated to Israel.
In January, US and British warships launched strikes against Houthi positions in response to their missile and drone assaults.