Sea attacks on Ukraine likely limited until spring, Ukrainian navy says

"Storms of three to four points have been ongoing for several days, and the use of sea-based launch platforms has not been taking place. Not because the ships cannot go out, they can — but because in such sea conditions, no one usually risks carrying out launches," he said.

The Navy spokesperson noted that the storm season at sea lasts from mid-autumn to mid-spring. During this period, missile launches by Russia are complicated, given the unfavorable geographical location of the Novorossiysk naval base.

According to Pletenchuk, navigation in Novorossiysk is quite difficult, especially during storms.

"As of now, as you can see, there are no combat units in Crimea," he added.

The Navy spokesperson also said that reconnaissance aviation is currently operating in the maritime area, but not at the same scale as during better weather conditions.

Strikes on Russia’s fleet vessels

In December, it became known that SBU drones attacked a Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, marking the first recorded case in history of drones striking a submarine.

Later, Pletenchuk stated that preparations to hit the Russian Varshavyanka submarine in the port of Novorossiysk were complex and multi-layered.

The Navy spokesperson also reported that despite all protective measures, the port of Russia’s Novorossiysk remains a dangerous location for Russian ships, as Ukrainian forces are capable of reaching them there.

The Navy further said that Russia is launching Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea in limited numbers due to technical difficulties and unfavorable weather conditions. The effectiveness of these missiles has declined compared to the early stages of the full-scale war.

Pletenchuk also noted that striking Russian ships directly before the launch of Kalibr missiles is extremely difficult, as the window of opportunity is limited to just a few hours.