Ukraine says it has struck many of Russia’s ships in the Black Sea
A third of Russia’s warships in the Black Sea have been either sunk or disabled by Kyiv’s forces since the war began just over two years ago, according to Ukraine’s navy.
The figures came from Ukrainian navy spokesperson Capt. Dmytro Pletenchuk after Kyiv claimed to have struck four Russian vessels with domestically built Neptune missiles in a single day in annexed Crimea: the Russian amphibious landing ship Kostantin Olshansky, two of Russia’s
large landing ships, the Yamal and the Azov, and Russia’s reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs.
“Our ultimate goal is complete absence of military ships of the socalled Russian Federation in the Azov and Black Sea regions,” Pletenchuk said.
Newsweek has contacted Russia’s Defense Ministry by email for comment.
Kyiv has targeted Russia’s Black Sea Fleet throughout President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of the country, which began in February 2022. Ukraine has vowed to reverse the Russian leader’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, which now serves as Moscow’s central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine.
Molfar, an open-source intelligence agency, in analysis of Russia’s fleet losses between Feb. 24, 2022, and Feb. 15, 2024, reported that a wide range of Putin’s naval forces have been targeted in the war, with losses including both small and large ships performing various functions, including amphibious operations and patrols.
“The most vulnerable turned out to be patrol boats and landing craft, indicating the high effectiveness of Ukrainian defense means,” Molfar found. “The losses of large landing ships and frigates diminish the aggressor’s capability to conduct large-scale maritime operations, having long-term strategic consequences for the Russian fleet.”
Below are some of the Russian naval vessels reported to have been damaged or destroyed by Ukraine since February 2022.
Moskva,Slava-class guided missile cruiser (destroyed) The most high-profile loss suffered by Moscow in the war so far. Ukraine said it struck and sank the Moskva cruiser, Russia’s Black
Sea flagship, with two Neptune missiles on April 14, 2022.
The Kremlin sought to downplay the loss, telling reporters that the vessel, which had roughly 500 personnel, “lost its stability due to damage to the hull received during the fire from the detonation of ammunition […] during the towing of the Moskva cruiser to the port of destination.”
“In the conditions of stormy seas, the ship sank,” the Kremlin told state media.
Saratov,Tapir-class amphibious landing ship (destroyed) Kyiv’s forces reportedly sank the ship on March 24, 2022, with a Soviet Tochka-U ballistic missile while it was docked in Berdiansk in Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia region. Russia admitted the loss of Saratov only on the first anniversary of the ship’s destruction.
Five Raptor-class patrol boats (three destroyed, two damaged) Ukraine has destroyed three Russian Raptorclass patrol ships and damaged a further two since the war began, the Oryx open-source intelligence outlet has visually confirmed. Two of these were destroyed with a Ukrainian Bayraktar drone in May 2022 near Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Black Sea, then Chief of General Staff Valeriy Zaluzhniy said at the time.
The high-speed patrol boats are capable of engaging in search-andrescue, anti-sabotage, and anti-terrorism operations.
One Project 02510 BK-16E high-speed assault boat (destroyed) According to Oryx, the vessel was destroyed on May 2, 2022. Russian state-run media notes that the high-speed assault boat can be used to provide fire support for a landing party, participate in anti-saboteur measures, fight piracy and terrorism, carry light cargoes and take part in rescue operations.
Vasily Bekh, Project 22870 rescue tug (destroyed) Kyiv’s military said it struck the Vasily Bekh tugboat in the Black Sea with two Harpoon missiles in June 2022. Ukraine’s Armed Forces Strategic Communications Directorate released a video that appeared to show the attack.
Ivan Golubets, Project 266M Natya-class minesweeper (damaged) The Russian Defense Ministry said in October 2022 that the minesweeper Ivan Golubets was damaged during a “massive attack” involving drones on the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea. The operation was conducted with nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and seven “maritime drones,” Moscow said.
One Project 640 small patrol boat (destroyed) The vessel was destroyed with a Ukrainian Bayraktar drone in the northwestern part of the Black Sea in September 2023 as it was unloading equipment, according to Oryx. A video published on social media appears to show the moment of impact.
Three Ropucha-class landing ships (Minsk damaged beyond economical repair, OlenegorskyGornyak and another damaged) Oryx visually confirmed attacks on three Ropuchaclass landing ships, including the Olenegorskiy Gornyak, which became the second-largest Russian ship to be damaged after the Moskva.