Ahmad Gharabli, AFP / Getty Images
Anonymous Russian defense officials told news agencies on Friday that three warships carrying 360 marines are en route to the Syrian port of Tartus and will arrive within several days. The deployment of ships comes on the heels of Kofi Annan's resignation as the U.N.'s envoy to Syria and the Arab League, with Russia's Foreign Ministry calling for an immediate replacement. The statement said Russia tried to support Annan's cease-fire plan but that opposition forces had refused to negotiate, bolstered by "our Western partners, and certain regional states." Meanwhile, Britain has pledged non-military support for Syrian rebels and the United Nations General Assembly will vote Friday on a resolution condemning its Security Council for failing to end violence in the country.