Satellite images suggest it is accompanied by the oiler, Yelnya. They passed through the English Channel in late 2025 and have been operating in the Med for several months. The Stoikiy was also spotted taking part in joint drills in Iran before the US-Israeli strikes began.
Need a freelance editor?
I'm lucky enough to be busy with reporting work but I'd love to take on more editing if any games/tech outlets need it. I've spent about half of my career as an editor, including at BBC News, on everything from breaking news to long-read investigations
DM/sphorti@gmail.com
Russian naval vessels look like they've returned Tartous Port in Syria for the first time since they evacuated the facility in 2024 after the fall of the Assad regime.
The SANA broadcaster shared footage of what looks like the Stoikiy docked in the military section of the port on Wednesday night.
Multiple weapons experts have disputed a US claim that Iran may have been responsible for a deadly strike on the town of Lamerd on the first day of the war.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Along with colleagues at BBC Munro, we spent the last few days looking at how the US used heavy air strike to pave the way for their forces to enter Venezuelan last week.
Using satellite images, verified videos and eyewitness accounts, here’s our report. www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
Demonstrations are continuing across Iran in the biggest challenge to the country’s clerical establishment in more than three years.
Here’s BBC Verify’s report on the protests and the increasing violence being used by security forces.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump has reiterated this hostile view of Europe in an interview with Politico, saying: "Most European nations, they’re decaying."
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
These documents land roughly once per administration and set out the president's priorities and worldview. This one is very America First - re-focussing on the "homeland" and setting out a US regional sphere of influence building on the Monroe Doctrine.
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
The new US national security plan has a striking Europe stance:
- Welcomes growth of far-right "patriotic" parties
-Questions if countries can remain reliable allies citing "migration policies"
- Echoes Russia by pledging to end the "perception" of Nato as a "perpetually expanding alliance"
Interesting read on how US sanctions targeting the ICC judge who authorised an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu have completely upended every aspect of his life.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
New from BBC Verify: 'Our job is only killing' - how Sudan's brutal militia carried out a massacre
Our team verified dozens of videos, analysed satellite imagery and tracked RSF fighters across social media to piece together how the mass killings unfolded www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The RSF has now released footage showing Abu Lulu being arrested and led to a prison on the outskirts of el-Fasher.
It is unclear when exactly the arrest took place, but earlier the paramilitary said it would investigate allegations of executions following its capture of el-Fasher.
A BBC Verify investigation revealed fighters from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) executed unarmed people after capturing the Sudanese city of el-Fasher.
One fighter, who goes by the name Abu Lulu, features in several clips carrying out brutal killings.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
You can read more of our reporting on the Africa Corps presence in Mali and how it’s has involved itself in fighting against insurgents below.
www.bbc.com/news/live/cg...
www.bbc.com/news/live/cg...
We spent the past few months looking at Russian paramilitaries in Africa. In Mali’s capital Bamako a key base has expanded significantly since August 2023.
Base 101 was home to thousands of troops from the Wagner Group. It now houses its replacement, the Africa Corps.
www.bbc.com/news/live/cg...
For Palestinians, a line on a map can be the difference between life and death.
BBC Verify found Israel is controlling more of Gaza than agreed in the ceasefire deal.
Israel said anyone who crossed its "yellow line" would be “met with fire”.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
New images reviewed by BBC Verify show that intensive bombardments and controlled explosions have levelled several neighbourhoods in Gaza City over the past four weeks. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
NEW: Israel struck Nasser Hospital at least 4 times in its attack which killed journalists, BBC Verify found.
We found Israel hit two staircases in the first wave. Minutes later it struck one of the staircases twice more.
@benedictgarman.com @sebkilli.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Despite Donald Trump's calls for a ceasefire, Russia has fired double the number of drones and missiles at Ukraine since he took office.
July was a record month for Russian aerial attacks. Story with @matt-murphy96.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Russia has more than doubled the number of drones and missiles fired towards Ukraine since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, a BBC Verify analysis has found, despite his calls for a ceasefire.
New story with @nedd.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel has demolished thousands of buildings across Gaza since it withdrew from a ceasefire with Hamas in March, with entire towns and suburbs levelled in the past few weeks. Reporting from @benedictgarman.com and @matt-murphy96.bsky.social for BBC Verify: www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
I'm reporting a story for an independent outlet about the rivalry between FIFA and Pro Evo Soccer in 2000s/10s - do you know devs who worked on those series or who would have an insight about football/soccer games in that period? Please send them my way, DM or sphorti@gmail.com. Shares appreciated!
BBC Verify has analysed dozens of fakes - a lot of them AI generated - related to the Iran-Israel conflict in the last week.
We’ve found that the top three fakes have amassed over 100m views across multiple platforms. @shayan86.bsky.social @matt-murphy96.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...
We've taken a look at the Iranian uranium enrichment site which could find itself attacked if the US joins the Israeli campaign against Iran.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
The Israeli military has admitted that it conducted a previously unacknowledged strike on Gaza, which reportedly killed at least 1 Palestinian and injured 30 others.
It was only when approached by BBC Verify that the IDF admitted it had carried out an artillery strike.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel is preparing a series of sites in Gaza that could be used as distribution centres for humanitarian aid in a controversial new plan, satellite images show.
Aid groups criticised the plan, accusing Israel of using food and fuel as "part of a military strategy".
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
