Blow on Russia as Malta refuses to refuel Putin's warship, what is next for one of the most powerful man in the world?

Malta's Foreign Minister George Vella confirmed President Putin's eight-strong battle-group would not be allowed to refuel at the small Mediterranean island, two days after a scheduled stop at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta was cancelled.

Warships led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov were expected to take on fuel and supplies at the port of Ceuta after passing through the Straits of Gibraltar on the way to the war in Syria.

After that stop was cancelled the fleet continued east in the direction of Malta.

But Dr Vella said: "What is being made clear is that Malta will not be party to the obscenities being committed in Aleppo."

On Wednesday Russia withdrew its request to refuel warships in Spain amid mounting pressure on the Spanish government to block the stop.

Malta says, Russia warship will not be refueled in

its country 

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon warned that Britain would be "extremely concerned" if a NATO member assisted a carrier group that ended up bombing Syrian civilians.

The Russian naval unit is believed to be in waters near Malta but campaigners on the island mounted a campaign to stop them docking there.

Online campaign group Avaaz released a statement saying: "Avaazers in Spain just stopped this death fleet from refueling there.

"Let's urgently tell the Maltese government that we do not want to be complicit in war crimes and demand they prohibit entry."

Russian warships visited Malta in 2014 and 2015 and opposition MPs in the Maltese parliament pressed the government on whether permission had been granted to the fleet this week before it was later withdrawn.

However, the Times of Malta reported that Dr Vella would not confirm or deny whether a request had been made by the Russians for a stopover.

The Kuznetsov vessel has twice sailed close to Malta; once in 2014 when it stopped close to the island but did not dock there and once in 1996 when it stopped nearby but did not enter the harbour.

Russia's embassy in Madrid said on Wednesday that the Kremlin had withdrawn its refueling request to stop in the North African territory.

It comes after Royal Navy vessels last week monitored Russian warships as they moved through the English Channel.

The fleet was shadowed by the Navy as it passed through the Dover Strait - one of the busiest seaways in the world.

NATO said the prospect of Russia's only aircraft carrier heading to the region did not "inspire confidence" that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

More than 60 Russian naval vessels have refueled and resupplied in Spanish ports in recent years.

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Source: Express...................................