Russia denies warship headed for Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (R) speaks with visiting Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at the presidential palace in Damascus, on February 7, 2012, in this official handout photo. DAMASCUS, Syria, June 17 (UPI) -- The Russian government Sunday denied reports it sent a fully loaded warship to supply the Syrian government with weapons and troops. Ukraine media reports suggested the amphibious vessel Nikolai Filchenkov, loaded with armaments and soldiers, was sailing from a Crimean port to Damascus, but a government source told the RIA Novosti news agency that was false. "There are no marines aboard the ship and there were no commands for a voyage towards Syria," the source told the Russian news agency. Moscow has sided with the government of President Bashar al-Assad's since anti-government protests began 15 months ago amid international condemnation of the military crackdown on demonstrators. In recent days, the armed conflict has escalated and the United Nations Saturday announced it was withdrawing some 300 unarmed observers. Opposition and human rights groups said at least 20 people had been killed by security forces Sunday, CNN said. In the predominantly Sunni Muslim city of Homs, a hotbed of anti-government sentiment, activist Abu Imad told al-Bawaba Sunday was a violent day. "About 85 percent of Homs is now suffering from mortar shelling or firing of heavy machine guns," he said. Various reports from rights groups and international organizations say at least 10,000 civilians have been killed in what's bordering on a civil war.