Satellite images confirm the movement of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol
The withdrawal of the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet will negate Russia's ability to control the western part of the Black Sea and the grain corridor
Russian Z-channels published satellite images confirming the relocation of a significant part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to Feodosia and Novorossiysk, The Bell reports.
According to the photos, dated October 1-2, two of the newest and largest ships of the fleet – frigates of project 11356 "Admiral Essen" and "Admiral Makarov", three diesel submarines, five large amphibious assault ships (LAS) and several small missile ships – remained in Novorossiysk. One large amphibious assault ship, minesweepers and small ships are located in Feodosia.
The UK Ministry of Defense wrote in a report on Monday that the Black Sea Fleet is moving its activities to Novorossiysk because of the threat to Sevastopol from the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
According to the report, the task of combating the Ukrainian Armed Forces' maritime drones is now assigned to naval aviation.
The British Telegraph reminds that the preservation of Sevastopol as a naval base was one of the main reasons for Russia's seizure of Crimea. And the withdrawal of the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet from there will negate Russia's ability to control the western part of the Black Sea and the Ukrainian grain corridor, which is already limited.
Last week, 10 ships exporting Ukrainian grain sailed through the territorial waters of Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, and insurers resumed coverage for these shipments.
Russian channels refrain from assessing the situation, but BMPD (the channel of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies) called it a "traditional maneuver" of the Black Sea Fleet.
This is an obvious reference to the actions of the Soviet fleet during the defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942.
The "military informant" points out that this maneuver "is essentially the only way to save ships in the face of the threat of just a few missiles from a few aircraft".
Sevastopol was attacked by Storm Shadow missiles from Ukrainian Su-24 bombers on September 13, the Minsk battleship and the Rostov-on-Don submarine with a dry dock were hit, and the prospects for recovery are doubtful.
And on September 22, three missiles hit the Black Sea Fleet headquarters building in the heart of Sevastopol, causing significant damage.
The fleet's deployment to Novorossiysk eliminates the risk of such attacks – not even because of range restrictions, but mainly because Ukraine's Western allies do not allow their missiles to be used on Russia's "old" territory.
However, Ukraine can use missiles of its own production for this purpose.
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