ISW assessed the consequences of attacks on Russian Black Sea Fleet ships in Crimea

ISW assessed the consequences of attacks on Russian Black Sea Fleet ships in Crimea

The Ukrainian strike on temporarily occupied Sevastopol (Crimea) on the evening of March 23 targeted more ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and caused greater losses than initially reported. The large landing ship Yamal was seriously damaged, and the reconnaissance vessel Ivan Khurs was also hit by a bang.

This is stated in the construction of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). They are convinced that such defeats will deter Russian forces from redeploying ships to Sevastopol and the western part of the Black Sea.

The Main Directorate of Military Intelligence (GUR) announced on March 25 that Ukrainian troops hit the large landing ship Yamal, which on March 23 was moored near the Black Sea Fleet shipyard in Sevastopol. The impact made a hole in the upper deck of the ship, forcing Russian sailors to continuously pump out water.

The official representative of the Ukrainian Navy, captain of the third rank Dmytro Pletenchuk, added that on the same day the Ukrainian attack on the communications center of the Black Sea Fleet caused significant damage and losses that could complicate the functioning of the Black Sea Fleet. After all, this point supported the joint activities of the fleet, and was also possibly responsible for its supply, routine repairs and other important functions.

According to Pletenchuk, the Defence Forces also hit the Ivan Khurs reconnaissance ship, but while Ukrainian officials are checking data on its damage.

Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Major General Vadym Skybitskyi, said that Ukrainian forces used Magura V5 naval unmanned vehicles to attack Russian ships. He emphasized that these Ukrainian naval drones are becoming more powerful and accurate. The defenders used the same naval drones to attack the Russian Black Sea Fleet ships of the Akula and Serna classes in November 2023, the corvette Ivanovets and the landing ship Caesar Kunikov in February 2024, as well as the airborne landing ship Serhiy Kotov in March 2024.

Pletenchuk and Natalia Humenyuk, a spokesperson for the South military command, said that Russian troops have rarely used Kalibr missiles in recent months, as the Black Sea Fleet naval base in Sevastopol is the only one with the infrastructure necessary to reload these missiles onto ships capable of using them.

“We continue to believe that Ukrainian attacks on Russian Black Sea Fleet ships and infrastructure will continue to deter Russian forces from redeploying vessels to Sevastopol and the western Black Sea and will complicate the Black Sea Fleet’s ability to maximize its combat capabilities,” ISW noted.