The Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) has suffered a series of major attacks in recent weeks and on 20 September their headquarters in Sevastopol, Crimea was blown up.
The Ukrainian attacks have been more damaging and more coordinated than ever before in the war.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said in an intelligence briefing that the Ukrainian cruise missile strikes on the Black Sea Fleet has “degraded” their ability “to defend its assets.”
The MoD said on Tuesday, “The physical damage to the BSF is almost certainly severe but localised.
“The fleet almost certainly remains capable of fulfilling its core wartime missions of cruise missile strikes and local security patrols.”
Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:
Russian troops are now in ‘same situation as Afghanistan’ in Ukraine before ‘the withdrawal’
Ukrainian Special Operation Forces ‘kill’ Black Sea admiral with Storm Shadow cruise missiles
A ‘new stage of the war will soon begin’ as Ukraine’s ‘army of drones’ destroys Russian equipment and troops
Putin orders October ‘deadline’ to ‘stop Ukrainian counteroffensive’ and improve the ‘frontlines’
British intelligence officials believe Russia now has a “degraded ability to defend its assets in port and to conduct routine maintenance.”
Experts admit, “its [Russia] ability to continue wider regional security patrols and enforce its de facto blockade of Ukrainian ports will be diminished.
The MoD added, “a dynamic, deep strike battle is underway in the Black Sea.
“This is likely forcing Russia into a reactive posture whilst demonstrating that Ukraine’s military can undermine the Kremlin’s symbolic and strategic power projection from its warm water port in occupied Sevastopol.
On Monday Ukrainian Special Operation Forces claimed to have killed Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea Fleet admiral in a Storm Shadow cruise missile strike.
The missile strike killed admiral Viktor Sokolov, 61, in the air strike on Friday along with 96 other people.
The irretrievable losses of highly trained commanders will affect Russia and their operations moving forward and the headquarters is not “subject to restoration.”
The “Black Sea Fleet HQ in Sevastopol is supposed to be the most protected building in Crimea” which will be an embarrassment for Kremlin officials.
Leave a Comment