Spain’s government has announced that the flotilla of Russian warships heading towards Syria will not be refuelling at the Spanish port of Ceuta after an international outcry.

In a statement issued by its foreign ministry, Spain, a Nato member, says that it had given clearance for stopovers to be made by three Russian ships in the North African port of Ceuta between October 28 and November 2.

But, the statement continues, “in the light of reports on the possibility that these ships were to carry out supporting tasks for military attacks on the Syrian city of Aleppo, the Foreign Ministry called the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Madrid for clarification”.

According to the statement, the Russian Embassy “withdrew the request for stopovers for these ships”.

Politicians and military figures had earlier condemned the support for Russia's warships from a Nato member, while the head of the alliance indicated Madrid should rethink the pit stop.

Warships from an eight-strong group led by the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov were expected take on fuel and supplies from the port of Spain's North African enclave, after passing through the Straits of Gibraltar on Wednesday morning, Spanish papers reported.

Nato officials expected the flotilla to then sail onwards to the eastern Mediterranean and escalate air strikes on the only major rebel-help city remaining in Syria, where 275,000 people are trapped.