Kyiv, after a series of successful attacks, managed to turn the Black Sea Fleet into the second force of the Russian Federation, Western experts say.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was once seen as central to the Kremlin’s plan for planned war. However, the fleet and aviation of the Russian Federation suffered from Ukrainian attacks. Now they are a secondary force of the aggressor country. This was reported by the American edition of Politico, citing the opinion of military experts.
The material says that in February, Caliber cruise missiles were launched from Crimea and Crimean waters at military and civilian facilities in the depths of Ukraine. So, the Russians blocked access to the country’s ports and threatened an amphibious assault on Odessa.
However, Kyiv seized the initiative by sinking several ships, including its flagship cruiser Moskva. An aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet at the Saki airbase in Crimea also suffered heavy strikes this month. As a result of the explosions, almost half of the aircraft of the unit was destroyed.
Russian submarines bombard Ukraine from time to time, but the fleet has not lived up to the Kremlin’s expectations. Now he took a defensive position either in the ports or far from the coast to avoid Ukrainian attacks, the publication said.
Since the spring, the problems of the Black Sea Fleet have been exacerbated by poor management, outdated equipment and self-confidence of the Russian leadership, media reports.
They also added that the reluctance to actually use their ships as a fighting force meant that the fleet was rendered almost helpless.
The presence of the fleet on the high seas “seriously limits the possibilities of the Russian campaign” in southern Ukraine, the material said.
The Russian fleet itself still has more than 30 ships at sea or in port, but their effectiveness and maneuverability have been seriously reduced after the removal of Moskva’s air defenses and radars on Zmeiny Island.
Recall that on April 13, the cruiser Moskva was hit by Ukrainian missiles Neptune and the shells exploded on it. The ship sank the next day.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.