Sevastopol

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Commander reported killed

As a trickle of merchant ships starts to use the Ukrainian-designated “safe corridor” to its ports, the Ukrainian Navy and special forces continue to degrade Russia’s naval capabilities. The most recent example was a devastating missile strike on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on September 22. Initially, Ukrainian authorities said that “at least nine people had been killed and 16 wounded, including Russian generals, as a result of the attack.” Immediately posts on X, formerly...

https://www.marinelog.com/legal/shipping/russias-black-sea-fleet-commander-reported-killed/

Black Sea Grain Deal Extended by Another Four Months

Wheat fields in midsummer in Ukraine, Oblast Lviv in 2012. Raimond Spekking Photo

A Turkey-United Nations brokered deal to allow for Ukraine grain exportation was extended by 120 days, the U.N. announced Thursday.

The deal, which was signed in July — automatically extended — with the extension beginning on Saturday, which is when the original deal was set to expire, according to a U.N. news release.

Secretary-General António Guterres praised the extension on Twitter.

“I welcome the agreement by all...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/18/black-sea-grain-deal-extended-by-another-four-months

Ukraine Launches Crowd Funding Drive for $250K Naval Drones

Screenshot from United24 website.

Ukraine has put out an international call to crowd-fund a fleet of 100 domestically built sea drones like the ones used in a late October attack on Russian Navy ships in the Black Sea.

On Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky lent support to the “United24” online campaign to solicit donations to build 100 of the naval drones that cost about $250,00 apiece.

“We must defend the waters of our seas and peaceful cities from Russian missiles launched from ships,”...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/11/ukraine-launches-crowd-funding-drive-for-250k-naval-drones

Russian Navy Pulls Warships from Black Sea into Port After Attacks

H I Sutton Photo Illustration for USNI News

The Russian Navy still outnumbers and outguns the Ukrainians in the northern Black Sea. Despite the dominance on paper, the Russian Navy is on its back foot after several successful attacks from the smaller Ukrainian forces.

The Oct. 29 attack on Sevastopol, in which uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) with unmanned aerial vehicles attacked Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, appears to have pushed them further into the shell of their naval bases. Both of their...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/07/russian-navy-pulls-warships-from-black-sea-into-port-after-attacks

Russia Resumes Participation in Grain Export Deal After Sevastopol Attack

Screenshot from a video showing a Russian ship from a camera board a suspected surface attack drone.

Russia resumed its participation in a United Nations-Turkey-brokered deal that allows grain to leave Ukrainian ports, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday.

Erdogan told his parliament that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar to say grain exports could resume at noon local time, according to Reuters.

Russia had suspended its...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/02/russia-resumes-participation-in-grain-export-deal-after-sevastopol-attack

Suspected Ukrainian Explosive Sea Drone Made From Recreational Watercraft Parts

H I Sutton Image used with permission

A small, unmanned watercraft of unknown origin washed up from the Black Sea on the shore of Crimea, near Russia’s naval base in Sevastopol, late last month.

Pictures posted on Russian social media show what appears to be a small, novel surface drone made from commercial watercraft parts laden with explosives that could explain recent Russian Navy trends to keep their warships in port over the last three weeks.

The unmanned surface vehicle was not identified...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/11/suspected-ukrainian-explosive-sea-drone-made-from-jet-ski-parts

Russian Navy Moving Kilo Attack Boats to Safety from Ukraine Strike Risk, Says U.K. MoD

Improved Kilo-class (Varshavyanka-class) attack submarine. RIA Novosti Photo

Russia has “almost certainly” moved its Black Sea Fleet Kilo-class submarines from Sevastopol, Crimea, to the Novorossiysk port in Krasnodar Krai, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense announced in a Tuesday intelligence report.

Russia could have up to four of the diesel-electric attack boats in the Black Sea.
All of the Kilo-class are capable of launching Kalibr NK cruise missiles. Sea-launched Kalibirs have been used...

https://news.usni.org/2022/09/20/russian-navy-moving-kilo-attack-boats-to-safety-from-ukraine-strike-risk-says-u-k-mod

Trained Russian Navy Dolphins are Protecting Black Sea Naval Base, Satellite Photos Show

H I Sutton Illustration for USNI News

Russia has deployed trained dolphins during its invasion of Ukraine to protect a Black Sea naval base, USNI News has learned.

The Russian Navy has placed two dolphin pens at the entrance to Sevastopol harbor, sheltered just inside a sea wall. The pens were moved there in February, around the time of the invasion of Ukraine, according to a review of satellite imagery.

Sevastopol is the Russian Navy’s most significant naval base in the Black Sea. The dolphins...

https://news.usni.org/2022/04/27/trained-russian-navy-dolphins-are-protecting-black-sea-naval-base-satellite-photos-show

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