Ukraine forces Russia back in Black Sea after attack on frigate
Russian military fleet (Photo: Getty Images)
The Russian Black Sea Fleet, which has already lost control of the waters due to Ukrainian naval drones, has now faced danger in its own port of Novorossiysk, according to NavalNews.
Strike on a frigate on April 5
On April 5, Ukrainian drones struck a Russian frigate in the port of Novorossiysk. It was presumably the Admiral Essen, one of two remaining frigates of Project 11356M in the Black Sea. These are the largest Russian warships since the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in April 2022.
The frigate was armed with Kalibr cruise missiles and was likely preparing to launch strikes against Ukraine. It was moored near the outer breakwater, which made it vulnerable to attacks from the sea.
The drones came in from the sea, overcame Russian missiles and anti-aircraft fire, and hit the target. At the same time, oil infrastructure facilities were attacked, causing large-scale fires.
Trap for the fleet
The Russian Black Sea Fleet was forced to relocate from occupied Sevastopol to Novorossiysk to escape Ukrainian naval drones. However, even this refuge is now dangerous.
Ukrainian forces are using three types of drones: surface (USV), underwater (AUV), and aerial (UAV). Novorossiysk's protective breakwaters have turned into a cage.
Russian submarines are now forced to dive right at the piers to reduce visibility. But it is only a matter of time before Ukrainian drones inflict serious damage.
No place to retreat
Novorossiysk is located 200–350 nautical miles from Ukrainian positions. Russia has no other ports to retreat to on the Black Sea. Sochi and Ochamchire (Georgia) are small and lack the necessary infrastructure. Exiting through the Volga-Don Canal to the Caspian Sea could be irreversible.
Thus, Russian ships find themselves trapped: in port, they are attacked by aerial drones; at sea, by surface drones.
The Ukrainian Navy has hinted at new strikes on Novorossiysk and Russian oil exports. A huge amount of oil passes through this, Russia's largest port, enabling the Kremlin to finance the war. Ukrainian drones will continue the attacks.
On the night of April 5, drones already attacked Novorossiysk — videos of a fire at the Sheskharis terminal and explosions appeared online.
A Transneft facility, where the largest oil tankers are serviced, caught fire. The Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that on the night of April 7, they again struck the oil terminal in the port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea.
The drone strikes forced Russia to temporarily halt oil shipments through the ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga.
