Russia has sent a destroyer-class warship to Syria, according to a report from Reuters Tuesday.

Another Russian military source said four more vessels are on their way to the war-torn nation.

While Moscow has been one of President Bashar al-Assad’s few remaining allies in the world, it is not clear what purpose the ships will serve in Syria. The Russians have long had a base in the Syrian port city of Tartous.

An unnamed Russian government military source told the Interfax news agency that the dispatched ships have no connection with the continuing conflict in Syria, which has killed at least 15,000 over the past 16 months.

The source claimed the ships are carrying marines on a training mission, as well as supplies for the Tartous port.

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