Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, has set sail for Syria. The vessel is leaving a long and unhealthy trail of smoke in its wake.

Moscow's symbol of power projection is old and in danger of breaking down as it make its way from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. The Russians have also discovered that this smoldering boat and her naval task force are unwelcome, as port after port along its route refuses entry now that human rights organizations and governments worldwide have accused the Russian government of war crimes.

The full, grand name of Russia's sole carrier is the Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov. The fifteen aircraft onboard include Su-33 air superiority fighters, Su-25UTG ground attack aircraft, and MiG-29KUB two-seater multi-role fighters. This is the carrier's second trip to the Mediterranean since the Syrian Civil War began. The aircraft will likely take part in Moscow's air war over Syria.

Kuztnetsov is a notoriously unreliable ship. She was built by the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and languished in Russian service after the Cold War. In 2009, a problem with the electrical system led to a fire that killed a crewman. The ship's propulsion system has never worked properly and breaks down so frequently that it, like many other large Russian Navy ships, always travels with an oceangoing tug. The ship broke down in early 2012 off the coast of Spain.

The carrier and her flotilla of seven ships are slowly making their way from their homeport north of the Arctic Circle to Syria. The task force sailed through the English Channel on October 21, shadowed by a Royal Navy destroyer and frigate. But today it was announced that Kuznetsov's battle group would not be stopping to refuel at the Spanish port of Ceuta, as had been previously announced. The Spanish government had given permission for three ships to refuel at Ceuta, but Russia withdrew the request after Spain's NATO allies complained. Malta also announced that the Russian fleet was not welcome.

There's no telling how this will affect the Kuznetsov's voyage. The Russian Defense Ministry has brushed aside Spain's disinvitation, claiming the flotilla has enough fuel and supplies to make the voyage. That may be true, but it remains to be seen if the carrier and her entourage can make it back to Russia without a refueling.

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