Russia is now resorting to barges to shore up the defenses for its Black Sea Fleet.
“Latest imagery evaluation has recognized 4 barges positioned on the entrance to the Black Sea Fleet facility of Novorossiysk Sea Port,” the UK’s protection ministry stated in an intelligence dispatch on Sunday.
“That is an effort to reinforce the defences of the port towards assaults from Ukrainian Uncrewed Floor Vessels (USVs),” the intelligence dispatch stated.
Ukrainian’s profitable use of the USVs, the UK protection ministry stated, additionally resulted within the Black Sea Fleet’s former commander, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, being changed with Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk.
And the barges being there imply Pinchuk “doubtless sought to enhance the survival probabilities of Russian vessels by adopting additional preventative and defensive measures, together with narrowing the doorway hole to port amenities,” per the UK protection ministry’s evaluation.
Russia’s navy has taken important hits because the nation invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In February, the top of the UK’s armed forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, stated 25% of Russia’s vessels within the Black Sea had been sunk or broken.
“Putin’s continued unlawful occupation of Ukraine is exacting an enormous price on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet which is now functionally inactive,” UK protection secretary Grant Shapps stated on March 24.
Representatives for Russia’s protection ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Enterprise Insider despatched outdoors common enterprise hours.
