Russia likely to have relocated 'prestige assets' of Black Sea Fleet - UK MOD
The Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) is thought to have relocated many of its 'prestige' assets after suffering a series of attacks in August and September.
According to an MOD intelligence update, it is thought the vessels – including cruise missile-armed ships and submarines – are likely to have moved from Sevastopol to operating and basing areas further east, such as Novorossiysk.
Since July 2022, it is believed that Ukrainian forces have had troops stationed in Zmiiny Island, or Snake Island in the northwest Black Sea.
This has forced the BSF to defend itself from uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), uncrewed air vehicles (UAVs) and missile attacks, as well as special operations.
In September, the Russian Ministry of Defence said its forces had intercepted almost 10 Ukrainian cruise missiles and all of the unmanned surface vehicles that targeted its facility in the city of Sevastopol.
Nevertheless, two vessels – which Ukrainian sources said were a large Russian amphibious landing ship and a submarine – were damaged and the infrastructure set on fire in the attack on the Sergo Ordzhonikidze Shipyard.
However, the BSF has mostly continued to train, maintain and defend itself whilst launching cruise missiles into Ukraine, which the MOD update says it can continue to do from the eastern Black Sea.
The update also states that it is thought the only scenario where Russia will use the BSF's 'largely intact capabilities' and ' superiority in firepower' is to seize the initiative in the Western Black Sea.
But the risk of further military losses and, the dire political consequences of Russian naval forces overtly attacking merchant shipping, would likely outweigh that gain, the MOD states.
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