Discover the Sabetta: Ratings & Maritime News

On March 19, 2026, the Russian transport ship 'Sabetta' docked in Conakry, Guinea, where it unloaded a significant shipment of military vehicles. These vehicles are believed to be destined for the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) or the Russian paramilitary outfit known as the African Corps. The operation began on February 6, when military vehicles were loaded aboard the 'Sabetta' at Baltiysk Port in Kaliningrad. Afterward, the ship set sail on February 22, notably escorted by the Russian military landing ship, 'Aleksandr Shabalin'. The British Royal Navy took action on March 5, asserting that they had tracked the movement of the Russian vessels as they entered the English Channel. While the British forces did not board the 'Sabetta', they utilized patrol boats and helicopters to monitor the ship closely throughout its transit. Following an established route recently reported by RFI, the 'Sabetta' traveled from Russia to Conakry and then embarked on a 995-kilometer land journey to Bamako, the capital of Mali. This overland convoy typically requires around 17 hours to complete the transit. The 'Sabetta' is part of a broader fleet of Russian ships tasked with supplying arms to the Malian military and the African Corps, a paramilitary organization that has emerged following the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner Group. This group is now believed to operate under direct control of the Russian government. Additionally, the 'Sabetta' is listed among the vessels sanctioned by the United States State Department following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.