Russia pulls last ship from Crimea as Ukraine intensifies attacks
The spokesperson for the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Capt. Dmytro Pletenczuk announced via social media that Russia has withdrawn its last patrol vessel from Crimea. According to him, this happened on July 15 at around 6:00 AM Eastern Time. The Ukrainian service Militarny points out that "there are currently no Russian vessels in the Black Sea."
The Russians appear to be trying to protect the remaining ships in the Black Sea Fleet's inventory by relocating them away from potential attack sites. The Militarny service notes that, according to data from the Ukrainian Navy, defenders have managed to destroy about a third of the units belonging to the Black Sea Fleet. Many of these were hit by Magura V5 drone attacks and Ukrainian RK-360 Neptun missiles.
Is the Black Sea Fleet fearful for its ships?
The Russian Black Sea Fleet has not had a good run lately. The Ukrainians have taken numerous opportunities to attack ships off the coast of Crimea. At the same time, the Russian Navy is dealing with internal problems. This was noted, among others, by Vladislav Shurygin, a Russian military expert. In a post from March of this year on Telegram, he mentioned continuous modifications to existing projects leading to further delays and that naval leadership was incapable of properly assessing the situation and making necessary decisions. At the same time, the then UK Minister of Defense reported on platform X that the Black Sea Fleet is currently functionally inactive.
The Militarny service reminds that earlier decisions to withdraw Russian ships from Crimea were related to concerns about further drone attacks, mainly the Magura V5. According to analysts from the "Political Science and Security Studies Journal," these devices have attacked a total of 14 vessels since the beginning of the conflict, of which they destroyed eight.
The Magura V5 was designed to perform various missions, including observation, reconnaissance, and combat strikes. Its effectiveness is influenced by its high maneuverability and the ability to be remotely operated. The drone, over 5 metres long, can travel at speeds up to 77 km/h. Its range is estimated at about 834 kilometres, and its maximum payload capacity is 320 kilograms.
Threats to Russian vessels
Another threat facing the Black Sea Fleet's vessels is the RK-360 Neptun missiles, developed by the Ukrainian design bureau Luch. This is a fairly versatile weapon, designed to destroy large warships, including aircraft carriers and landing ships. Its operation is facilitated by the fact that Neptuns can be launched from ground launchers, ship decks, or air platforms.
The missile weighs 870 kilograms (with the warhead alone weighing 150 kilograms), and its range is estimated at 280 kilometres. The Neptun can travel at speeds up to 900 km/h and maneuver to evade the enemy's anti-missile defenses.
