The Ukrainian Navy commander said that under Ukrainian attacks, Russia’s main naval hub is losing its effectiveness, and the Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move almost all of its combat-ready warships from the occupied Crimea to other locations.
According to Reuters, the upcoming Sunday is Ukraine Navy Day. Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa of the Ukrainian Navy stated that Ukrainian missile and naval drone attacks have caused severe damage to the Sevastopol base.
The base serves as Russia’s logistical hub, responsible for maintenance, training, and ammunition storage.
“Clearly, they are now losing this hub,” Neizhpapa said in a rare interview with Reuters in the port city of Odesa.
Despite Ukraine’s ground forces steadily retreating on a vast front line for over 28 months, they have delivered a series of heavy blows to Russia in the Black Sea.
Ukraine may not have large warships, but they effectively use explosives-laden unmanned naval vessels to attack Russian ships, and launch Storm Shadow and ATACM missiles at the fleet facilities in Crimea and other military targets.
Neizhpapa stated, “Almost all main combat-ready ships have been relocated by the enemy from the Black Sea Fleet’s main base. These vessels are now stored in Novorossiisk, with some in the Sea of Azov.”
He remarked that the Novorossiisk naval base on Russia’s eastern Black Sea coast does not have extensive facilities like Sevastopol in Crimea, which Russia uses to store and load cruise missiles for air strikes against Ukraine.
“To my knowledge, they are currently attempting to address this issue in Novorossiisk,” he said, calling it a “major problem” for the Russian fleet.
Russian President Putin told naval leaders last month that the Russian fleet has been replenished in recent years and is undergoing significant modernization, aiming to enhance fleet combat readiness and strength.
In addition to strategic bombers and land-based launchers, missile-carrying warships and submarines play crucial roles in Russia’s routine long-range missile attacks.
Neizhpapa mentioned that Ukraine has destroyed or damaged 27 Russian naval vessels, with 5 of them being destroyed by Ukrainian Navy drones laying mines near Sevastopol Bay.
Russia seized and annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Prior to February 2022, Russia used the Black Sea Fleet, consisting of dozens of warships, to project power to the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Neizhpapa pointed out that with the current situation, Russia’s defensive posture has strengthened. Some Russian warships that rarely entered the Sea of Azov east of Crimea are now stationed there more frequently. Data provided by the Ukrainian Navy to Reuters as of June 27 showed that 10 Russian warships were stationed in the Sea of Azov, compared to none in 2023.
He said the Black Sea Fleet is mainly engaged in logistics, minor coastal territory control, and launching Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukraine.
Following Russia’s exit from the UN-mediated wartime grain export agreement last year, Ukraine’s actions in the Black Sea have enabled the establishment and protection of its shipping corridor without Russian support.
Ukraine’s counterattacks began with its coastal defenses, giving them the ability to force Russian naval vessels to leave.
In April 2022, a Ukrainian anti-ship missile sank the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the “Moskva,” dealing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin.
Neizhpapa mentioned that in addition to the navy drones’ attacks, Russian warships are unable to enter an area of nearly 25,000 square kilometers (9,650 square miles) in the northwest Black Sea.
He stated that F-16 fighter jets manufactured in the US are expected to be delivered soon, aiding Ukraine in challenging Russia’s “total control” over the Black Sea airspace.
“Equipped with appropriate weaponry, F-16 fighter jets can repel Russian aircraft,” he said. “The northwest Black Sea region, especially the civilian ship corridor, will be almost one hundred percent secure.”
Currently, the shipping corridor involves maritime traffic at the three main ports of Odesa. He mentioned that in some areas, civilian ships are escorted by patrol boats to help prevent mines, while air defense systems provide cover for ports and corridors.
Over the past six months, cargo volume through the corridor has become stable, with Ukraine operating two fleets daily, compared to just one in 2023.
Neizhpapa expressed Ukraine’s desire to expand the shipping corridor to include Mykolaiv and Kherson ports, but deemed it impossible. He highlighted Russia’s control over the Kinburn Spit, a prominent sandbar along that route.