Ukrainian expert on key Russian warships for neutralization in Black Sea
The most significant threat to Ukraine comes from Russian missile ships — frigates and corvettes, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Navy and a strategic expert with Sonata Company Andrii Ryzhenko said in an interview with NV on March 16.
"Russia has deployed another Karakurt corvette (a small missile ship of project 22800) to Novorossiysk via the Volga-Don Canal, in addition to the existing ships that carry Kalibr cruise missiles," Ryzhenko said.
"One corvette, built in Kerch, is also stationed in Novorossiysk."
This deployment increases the potential number of Kalibr cruise missiles, the expert said. With four Kalibr missile-carrying ships currently in the Caspian Sea and submarines, the total salvo of cruise missiles available for use against Ukrainian territory amounts to 88 units, posing a significant threat.
"Therefore, these ships (Kalibr missile carriers) are our primary target," he said.
The next targets for destruction are ships equipped with anti-ship missiles like Moskit, which can block navigation in the Black Sea, Ryzhenko said.
"By the way, such a ship was the missile boat Ivanovets, recently destroyed by surface drones," he said.
"The Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation still has about five such ships [armed with Moskit missiles], including missile boats and hovercraft missile ships."
Read also: Defense Minister Shoigu in Sevastopol to combat drone attacks on Russian Black Sea Fleet
Another priority target for Ukraine is Russian amphibious ships.
"The Armed Forces must neutralize them because these ships are used both for logistics and the most critical task — the weapon transportation, as well as for amphibious operations," Ryzhenko said.
Since Ukraine maintains access to the Black Sea, it greatly concerns Russia, he said. The Russians will continue efforts to cut off Ukraine from the sea, potentially resorting to landing operations.
"To prevent the aggressor from executing such operations, we must persist in destroying their landing ships," Ryzhenko said.
"Now there are eight of them, with three undergoing scheduled repairs in Sevastopol."
Read also: Black Sea clear of Russian warships for six days in a row — Ukrainian Navy
Over almost 25 months of full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine destroyed or damaged more than two dozen warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, effectively neutralizing nearly a third of the fleet's strength at the onset of the Russian full-scale invasion.
The unprecedented utilization of surface drones and combined strike tactics has enabled Ukraine, despite lacking its own fleet, to effectively neutralize Russian warships and limit their activity in the Black Sea.
For the full version of the interview with Andrii Ryzhenko about the state of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, its restoration prospects, and the necessary measures for its destruction, read here.
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