Russia And Ukraine Are Still Fighting For The Black Sea
After three years of fighting, the Russian Navy’s capabilities, particularly in the Black Sea, have been seriously degraded and constrained as a result of Ukrainian military and intelligence operations.
The naval aspect of the war in Ukraine is perhaps the least known. Most of the combat, after all, has been taking place on the ground.
However, since the opening hours of the conflict, there has been a fierce fight for control of the Black Sea, the great body of water south of Ukraine and Russia.
Despite fielding a vastly larger naval fleet, the Russian Navy has been forced to retreat, losing dozens of warships and support vessels in the process. To make matters worse for the Kremlin, Ukraine does not have a significant surface fleet.
Russian Naval Woes
“Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia’s leadership almost certainly perceived the Russian Federation Navy and the Black Sea Fleet as integral components of their maritime power,” the British Ministry of Defence assessed in its latest intelligence update on the Ukrainian conflict.
However, after three years of fighting, the Russian Navy’s capabilities, particularly in the Black Sea, have been seriously degraded and constrained as a result of Ukrainian military and intelligence operations.
The Russian Navy vastly outnumbers its Ukrainian adversary. Indeed, Kyiv’s naval force is limited to a small number of major warships and coastal defense ships. Moreover, despite landing serious hits on the Russian naval forces, Ukraine has been unable to confidently control the seas. And yet, using long-range missiles and drones, the Ukrainians have inflicted heavy losses on Russia.
“However, since 24 February 2022, Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged at least 24 Russian vessels operating in the Black Sea. This includes the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet flagship, Slava-Class cruiser ‘MOSKVA,’ which had previously been described as a cutting-edge air defence platform,” the British Ministry of Defence stated.
The sinking of the Moskva came as a shock to many outside observers. It took place on April 14, 2022, just a few weeks after the large-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Besides the operational value of sinking a major enemy surface combatant, the sinking of the Russian flagship gave a psychological boost to the Ukrainians—they could now believe in victory over Russia. Moreover, it served as an additional rallying point for international security assistance to Ukraine.
“As a result, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move all of its major assets from its historic base in Sevastopol to Novorossiysk in the Eastern Black Sea. Russian units operating in the region have also been forced to adapt their tactics and change the areas in which they operate,” the British Ministry of Defence added.
“Despite Russia’s Black Sea Fleet currently being limited to the Eastern Black Sea, it retains the ability to conduct long-range strikes into Ukraine in support of land operations,” the British Ministry of Defence concluded in its intelligence update.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet has been mainly using submarines to support the long-range fires campaign against Ukraine. Although the Ukrainian military does not have sufficient capabilities to counter Russian submarines on the sea, it has found other ways. For example, the Ukrainian intelligence services have been going after Russian submarine officers who have participated in long-range strikes against civilian targets. One submariner was killed while taking his morning run.
Moreover, the Ukrainian military has been targeting submarine pens, managing to destroy the Rostov-on-Don sub while it was undergoing maintenance.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
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