BRUSSELS — Russia canceled a request to refuel a flotilla of its Syria-bound warships at a Spanish port Wednesday, according to Russian state-run media and other news reports. The move came#among mounting criticism leveled at Madrid from NATO’s secretary general and Britain’s defense minister.
The Russian battle group, containing cruisers, submarine hunting warships and Russia’s lone aircraft carrier — the Admiral#Kuznetsov — were set to refuel in#Ceuta, a port situated in north Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar, before heading to the Mediterranean Sea. While Spain has allowed Russian ships to use its refueling facilities in the past, the small armada’s likely mission — bolstering Russia’s strikes in Syria — has drawn widespread condemnation, forcing Spain into an uncomfortable position with its allies.
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