Russian warships and submarines will not be refuelling in Malta

Following Russia’s cancellation of its request to the Spanish government to have its warships and submarines refuel in that country as they pass through the Straits of Gibraltar, the internet activist group Avaaz has set up a petition which suggests that they may now refuel in Malta instead, and calling for a “flood” of requests to stop that happening.

You can get the background to this story in The Guardian.

I have just messaged the government’s head of communications, Kurt Farrugia, about the petition, asking him to confirm or deny that the Russian warships and submarines which have not refuelled in Spain will be refuelling in Malta instead. He responded immediately: “I deny that Russian warships will be refuelling in Malta.”

I then asked: “Has Russia requested a refuelling stop which the Malta government denied, or has Russia not asked at all?”

Mr Farrugia responded: “This is our statement: Malta will not be permitting refuelling of Russian warships.”