The Russian Black Sea fleet left its base in Crimea after the attacks, according to satellite images. Ukrainian Analysis by Kyiv Post This is seen as a complete victory, as they believe that Moscow has been defeated at sea by an opponent who has no naval power.
According to the analysis, the Russian military command decided to station the most important warships in a place that could not be reached by Ukrainian attacks.
Based on satellite images, the largest warships were transferred to the port of Novorossiysk in Russia, almost completely emptying the Crimean base.
Six smaller warships are also docked at the port of Feodosia in Russia. David Kezirashvili, who was Georgia’s defense minister at the time of the Russian invasion in 2008, said:
Ukraine has had great success targeting the Russian Navy in Crimea, and as a result the Kremlin now feels the need to move.
During the attacks in September, Moscow lost at least one submarine and one assault ship, and the dry docks for vehicle repair will be unusable until long repair work is completed. The admiral of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was also wounded when the Ukrainians bombed the Russian headquarters in late September, according to the Ukrainians. The Kremlin denies this.
As the ships depart, Russia’s ability to target ports that are critical to Ukrainian grain exports will not cease.
The recently announced Russian dock in Abkhazia is supposed to be built to replace lost capacity in Sevastopol.
Cover image source: Ulf Mauder/picture Alliance via Getty Images
