Ukraine reports that two Russian amphibious ships have been lost in the Black Sea, the most recent high-profile casualty count for the Russian fleet in the area.
Russian navy warships Yamal and Azov, together with a communications center in Crimean city Sevastopol and other unnamed infrastructure installations, were allegedly attacked and effectively neutralized by Ukrainian forces.
Russian-installed officials in the port city claimed that air defenses had intercepted missiles fired by Ukraine in a “massive” attack on Sevastopol. Two further Ropucha-class landing ships have been lost by Ukraine, adding to the devastating losses suffered by Russia’s Black Sea navy stationed at the Crimean peninsula.
Though its navy is weak, Kyiv has successfully attacked the Black Sea Fleet and its landing ships with naval drones and long-range missile attacks. Midway through February, Ukraine managed to sink the Ropucha-class Caesar Kunikov, one of several landing ships sent by Moscow. The Olenegorsky Gornyak, a landing craft, was damaged when Ukrainian naval drones attacked it in early August 2023. The Ropucha-class Minsk was the target of a cruise missile fire from Kyiv in September 2023.
Near the end of December 2023, in the port of Feodosia in eastern Crimea, the Ukrainian military claimed victory against the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk. In the early stages of the conflict, the Ukrainians also destroyed Moscow’s amphibious landing ship, the Tapir-class Saratov.
At the end of December, Britain’s Minister of Defense, Grant Shapps, stated that Russia had suffered a 20% loss of its Black Sea fleet during the preceding four months. At the beginning of the year, Ukrainian forces destroyed the Rostov-on-Don, a Russian submarine. Following heavy losses, Russia has limited its efforts to the eastern half of the region, although it still mainly dominates other areas of the sea.
Russia claims a recent surge in Ukrainian bombings on its border areas prompted it to increase the frequency and severity of its airstrikes against Ukraine. On Sunday, the Ukrainian capital and the western province of Lviv were hit by a “massive” airstrike from Russia. The Russians are trying to take advantage of the delays in Western relief shipments by increasing their military presence and ammo.
