A DEFIANT Moscow has announced that a cargo ship would deliver weapons to Syria under the Russian national flag despite being forced to abandon its voyage when Britain withdrew insurance cover.

The MV Alaed turned around in the North Sea, about 80 kilometres from the Scottish coast, after its London-based insurer withdrew third-party liability cover. The British authorities forced this move, suspecting that the ship was taking arms to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Syrian Army Mi-18 helicopters with national flags fly above demonstrators during a rally to support President Bashar al-Assad earlier this year. Credit:AFP

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed yesterday that the ship was carrying three Mi-25 attack helicopters, sold to Syria 20 years ago but upgraded under a contract with Syria's armed forces. The vessel, bound for the port of Murmansk, will be reflagged under Russian colours and then sent to Syria to complete the delivery. ''[The helicopters] are the property of the Syrian side and must be returned to the Syrian Arab Republic after repairs,'' said a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Moscow.

At least 114 people were reported killed in Syria on Thursday, Red Cross access to a troubled area was blocked and a Syrian air force pilot defected in the course of what activists called ''a bloody day'' as heavy shelling gripped Homs, the southern province of Daraa and areas near the capital, Damascus.