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. 

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. 

• 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. 

• 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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