Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Operations ‘Greatly Complicated, If Not Paralyzed’

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet (BSF) operations have been “greatly complicated, if not paralyzed,” Ukraine’s navy has said.

Speaking to national TV on Sunday, Captain 3rd rank Dmytro Pletenchuk, said 25 vessels out of around 80 deployed by Moscow at the start of the full-scale invasion have been destroyed, and 15 are currently under repair.

“Of [the original 80, 30-35 are large warships posing a real threat with their long striking range, as well as large landing ships, submarines, patrol boats, minesweepers – all armed with serious weapons,” he said.

A series of spectacular Ukrainian strikes against BSF targets particularly on its main base in Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, have been steadily chipping away at Moscow’s naval capabilities.

There has been no definitive sighting of BSF commander Admiral Viktor Sokolov since a devastating Ukrainian missile strike on his headquarters in Sevastopol last September.

That same month, Ukraine became the first country ever to destroy a submarine with a cruise missile.

And most recently, earlier this week Ukrainian sea drones destroyed a Russian missile boat off the cost of Crimea.

Pletenchuk said: “Actually, the Black Sea Fleet has been [in a poor state] for quite a while: apart from Kalibr cruise missile carriers, they can’t use anything against Ukraine.”

He highlighted that even the operation of Kalibr cruise missile carriers has been hindered as reloading them in Sevastopol is now a highly risky endeavour given it is in range of Ukrainian missiles.

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He concluded: “I can say that the Black Sea Fleet operations have been greatly complicated, if not paralyzed.”