Local Editor

Russia dispatched a new ship armed with cruise missiles to the Mediterranean, the navy announced Saturday, as reports said it is bound for Syria.

The Black Sea fleet said in a statement that the "Zelyony Dol", a patrol ship armed with Kalibr cruise missiles that only joined the Black Sea fleet in December, departed for the Mediterranean.

Relatively, RIA-Novosti news agency further quoted a security source in Crimea, where the Black Sea fleet is based, saying that the ship is bound for Syria and may take part in Russia's campaign to support the Syrian army.

"The goals of the ship are not public but considering that it is carrying long-range cruise missiles, its participation in the military operation should not be excluded," the source was quoted as saying just a day after world powers agreed to cease hostilities in the war-ravaged country.

The brand new Zelyony Dol was only built last year and this week took part in a massive landing operation exercise to train "holding the coast" while landing troops attempt to take control.

Meanwhile, Russia warned against any ground intervention in Syria by countries in the US-led coalition as PM Dmitry Medvedev warned that it would unleash another war.

"Don't threaten anyone with a ground operation," he said Saturday in Munich in a speech that lashed out at the West and talked of a "new Cold War."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team