Old, Unrelated Image Shared as Russians Warships Entering the Red Sea

This image is from 2016 and shows Russia and China's joint naval drill in the Guangdong Chinese province.

Fact-Check: This image is from 2016 and shows a joint drill between China and Russia.

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

An image of a fleet of ships is being shared to claim that is shows the Russian navy entering the Red Sea amid missile and drone attacks on vessels by Yemen-based Houthi rebels.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

This post recorded 27.3K views at the time of writing this story.

(Archives of similar claims can be found here, here and here.)

Is this true?: While Russian ships have entered the Red Sea, the viral image shows a fleet of Chinese and Russian ships at sea in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China on 19 September 2016. This was a part of Russia and China joint naval drill.

How did we find out?: We ran a Google reverse image search on the image and came across a report by the Financial Express which used the same image as the viral photo.

Here is a close-up of the credits. 

(Source: Financial Express/Screenshot) 

• We conducted a relevant keyword search and came across two reports by Reuters that used the image. The reports were from 2016 and 2018 reports and about China and Russia's joint naval drills.

• The viral image has been cropped and has cut the ship with the 574 number in the post.

Here is comparison between the two visuals. 

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

• The image was described as, "A fleet of ships sail out at sea as China and Russia's naval joint drill concludes in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China, 19 September 2016." (sic.)

• Russian news outlet RT also reported on the Russian-Chinese naval practices in September 2016. It mentioned that the joint naval drill was called “Maritime Cooperation 2016."

• As a part of this motive, the militaries of both countries undertook tasks of searching submarines and vessels, landing of troops and launching joint artillery strikes.

Russia sends warships to Red Sea: Russian warships have been sent to the Red Sea as missile and drone attacks on vessels by Yemen-based Houthi rebels continue, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

• The report also stated that previously Russia and China made a deal with the Houthis group that the two countries would be able to take their vessels into the maritime region without being 'attacked.'

Conclusion: Clearly, an old and unrelated image is being shared as Russian warships have entered the Red Sea.

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