Two Russian warships have made a call that lasted several hours at Russia’s Mediterranean naval base in Syria’s port of Tarus to resupply and refuel.

Two Russian warships have made a call that lasted several hours at Russia's Mediterranean naval base in Syria’s port of Tarus to resupply and refuel.

The landing ships Novocherkassk and Saratov docked in the port of Tartus for several hours but their crews did not go ashore, the Interfax and ITAR-TASS news agencies reported.

"They loaded up on fuel and water and had minor repairs. No shore leave was planned for the crew," a source in the naval chief of staff told the Interfax news agency.

The Tartus base is Russia's only remaining foreign military base outside the former Soviet Union and is seen as a major strategic asset for Moscow.