Ukraine claims to have destroyed a third of Russian Black Sea fleet
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Black Sea Fleet had around 80 combat vessels. Now, 25 of these vessels have been destroyed, with another 15 severely damaged, said a representative of the Ukrainian Naval Forces, Dmytro Pletenchuk, during a national news broadcast.
The host asked for an update on the Russian ship losses. The Ukrainian Naval Forces representative reported that the enemy had 80 ships, of which 30-35 were heavily armed, including submarines, large landing ships, minesweepers, and the like. Currently, Ukraine has destroyed 25 ships, with another 15 sustaining serious damage and undergoing repairs.
"This means [the losses] are quite significant in percentage terms. Still, they [the Russian forces] maintain connections with other waters, including the Caspian Flotilla. They can also transfer certain assets like missile boats from the Baltic through inland waterways," explained Pletenchuk.
Moreover, the Russians have a maritime guard of up to 20 vessels. For a considerable time, the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been in such a state that, apart from its Kalibr-missile carrier ships, there is no possibility of opposing Ukraine. There are issues even with the Kalibr carriers, as the Black Sea Fleet is effectively cut off from its main logistical base in Sevastopol.
The German newspaper Bild reports that Ukraine has destroyed 20% of the Russian Black Sea Fleet by total displacement. Russian media earlier had described the fleet as "invincible," and with the number of vessels exceeding 70 units, writes analyst Julian Röpke. Overall, Ukraine has destroyed 14 various ships and struck the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol.
On February 2nd, Ukraine destroyed the Russian warship Ivanovets.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Naval Forces spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk noted that the Ivanovets was a substantial asset, designed for engaging surface targets.