David Kirichenko
Over the past two and a half years, Ukraine, despite lacking a formal navy, has been steadily eroding the strength of Russia’s naval presence in the Black Sea. Once a dominant force, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has now largely withdrawn from occupied Crimea under relentless Ukrainian strikes and drone warfare. Ukraine’s aim is to entirely neutralize Russia’s Black Sea capabilities, removing the threat they pose. In July 2024, Ukraine announced that Russia had pulled its last patrol boat from Crimea, effectively ending the Black Sea Fleet’s presence on the occupied peninsula.
Russia’s forced retreat was driven by Ukraine’s proactive use of Western-supplied cruise missiles and domestically developed naval drones. These combined efforts have caused substantial damage to the Russian fleet, sinking flagships, destroying smaller vessels, and even incapacitating a docked submarine.
Speaking about the gravity of the situation, retired US Army Major General Gordon Skip Davis Jr remarked: “Ukraine’s actions have wrestled control of Ukraine’s western territorial waters back from Russia and prevented the Black Sea Fleet from threatening Odesa with amphibious assault or providing tactical fires and logistical support to Russian forces in Kherson.”
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