MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. The Russian Black Sea Fleet’s large amphibious assault ship Novocherkassk is expected to arrive at Russia’s naval facility in Tartus with supplies for the Russian forces in Syria, a military and diplomatic source told TASS on Thursday.

According to the designated data, the Novocherkassk will deliver supplies for the Russian military grouping in Syria on March 4 unless this effort is impeded by bad weather conditions.

The large amphibious assault ship Novocherkassk passed the straits zone on Wednesday and headed for the south-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea," the source said.

A naval link-up has been continuously operating between the Russian Black Sea Fleet base in Novorossiysk and Syria’s Tartus since the beginning of the Russian air task force’s operation in Syria for the provision of supplies for Russia’s grouping.

The large amphibious assault ship Novocherkassk is carrying out a planned shuttle operation. It will unload the cargo in Tartus, replenish water and fuel supplies and return to the Novorossiysk base. Another large amphibious assault ship will arrive with military cargoes as its replacement," the source said.

Russia has been carrying out an anti-terror operation in Syria since September 30, 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Russian air task force is operating against militants in Syria. Some strikes against terrorists were delivered by the Russian Navy.

A ceasefire regime has been in effect in Syria from February 27 but it does not apply to the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra groupings (both outlawed in Russia) and some other formations recognized as terrorist groups by the UN Security Council.