Russian Black Sea naval fleet shrinking but still dangerous: over 30 ships, including submarines, active – UA Navy
The Russian Black Sea Fleet currently has over 30 operational ships, including approximately ten Kalibr missile carriers, three of which are submarines, Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk stated on national TV on March 7.
“Indeed, they are facing serious problems, especially with military logistics,” Pletenchuk said.
Read also: Ukrainian MAGURA V5 drones sink Russian missile boat, altering Black Sea dynamics — Navy spokesman
“As you’ve seen, there’s been virtually no use of these missiles for several months, except for one confirmed case after the sinking of the Caesar Kunikov. Still, we definitely have work to do, which is what we’re doing.”
The $65 million Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov was destroyed by MAGURA V5 maritime drones on the night of March 5 in the territorial waters of Ukraine near the Kerch Strait. The ship sustained damage to the stern, starboard, and port sides in the surface drone attack.
As a result of the destruction of the Sergey Kotov, at least 27 Russian occupiers sustained injuries of varying severity, with seven reported fatalities.
Read also: Future of naval warfare: Russia’s Black Sea fleet can’t outmaneuver Ukraine’s MAGURA naval drones
“This ship was guarding our Kerch Strait, in our territorial waters,” Pletenchuk said.
A helicopter might have been on board the destroyed Sergey Kotov, he said on national television on March 5, without identifying the type of helicopter. However, Ukrainian media, citing sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), suggest it could have been either a Ka-29 or Ka-27.
Ukrainian forces have been regularly destroying Russian Black Sea Fleet ships since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Pletenchuk said on Feb. 15 that only five of the 13 large landing ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet remained.
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