The Russian fleet in the Black Sea has effectively disappeared from radar
For several months now, Russia has not had a single warship in either the Black Sea or the Sea of Azov, and the fleet’s functions have effectively been taken over by the air force. This was stated by the Ukrainian Navy in a comment on the current situation at sea. According to military officials, Russian naval sorties have become a rare and sporadic occurrence.
Russian forces have effectively lost their permanent naval presence in the Black and Azov Seas and currently do not maintain a single vessel there, as confirmed by the Ukrainian Navy. According to Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk, Russian naval sorties in recent months have become the exception rather than the rule.
He emphasized that the Russian Federation’s Black Sea Fleet is effectively not fulfilling its basic functions, and most of the tasks previously carried out by ships have now been shifted to naval aviation. “The occupier does not maintain any units at sea: neither in the Sea of Azov nor in the Black Sea. In fact, over the past few months, simply going out to sea has become something of a luxury,” Pletenchuk said.
According to him, despite the loss of naval activity, Russia still retains some cruise missile carriers, which are used periodically, but their use is limited and sporadic, usually once or several times a month.
Separately, the Navy notes that Russian naval aviation remains numerous and continues to play a role in military operations. At the same time, the Ukrainian side suggests that further logistical complications in the temporarily occupied Crimea could affect its effectiveness and reduce its activity in the future. Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, made this statement during a television broadcast.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is attempting to draw Belarus deeper into the war against Ukraine and is considering new scenarios for aggression from its territory.
Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, held a meeting on military equipment and announced the preparation of a new state armament program for 2026–2030.
