Cut into metal: Russians destroy the Ukrainian ship "Lutsk", captured in 2014 (photo)

In March 2014, during the annexation of the Crimea, the ship was captured by Russian invaders. In 2014, Russia seized Crimea. One of the main goals of Russian aggressors was the capture of Ukrainian warships. During the annexation of the Navy of Ukraine, 51 ships, three shipyards, aerodromes, coastal infrastructure, fuel reserves, ammunition, spare parts and more were lost.

In addition, Russia seized control of the Strait between Crimea and Cuban, and thus actually isolated Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea - Mariupol and Berdyansk. The Ukrainian Military Fleet remained with 10 ships - the only frigate "Hetman Sahaidachny", which was then under repair (later flooded by Ukrainian sailors, so that he would not get the enemy), a trailer and a small ship. Four years later, Ukraine tried to hold two military boats and a tugboat in Mariupol, but Russia seized them.

However, she later returned, but removing all the valuable equipment and stopping even some of the personal belongings of the sailors. At the same time, the Black Sea Fleet of Russia received a unique geographical advantage - the Crimean Peninsula and Harbor of Sevastopol. This allowed Russia to establish control of most of the waters and airspace of the Black Sea.

At the same time, the military fleet of Russia in the Black Sea region did not have competitors: the Navy of Romania and Bulgaria are relatively weak, and Turkey, which has spent considerable resources in recent years on the modernization and strengthening of its fleet, holds most ships and aircraft in the Ionic and Mediterranean.

On the eve of the invasion of Georgia and Ukraine, Russia conducted so -called large -scale military exercises near the borders of the states that planned to attack: it made it possible to concentrate forces and carry out combat coordination under the right reason. According to the same scheme, the concentration of forces and means of the Russian Navy was conducted.

In January 2022, Russia announced maritime training in several regions - the Northern, Okhotsk, Mediterranean Seas, Atlantic and Pacific. More than 140 ships participated. At the end of January 2022, more than 20 ships conducted training in the Black Sea. Before the invasion of the invasion, Russia again announced maneuvers in many parts of the Black and Azov Sea - ships of other countries were obliged to avoid these areas.

Immediately after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, the Black Sea Fleet of Russia established control of the northwestern part of the sea, installing a de facto naval blockade of Ukraine and probably prepared for the landing of naval landing for the capture of the Odessa coast. The Russian cruiser "Moscow" captured the strategically important Ukrainian Snake Island. However, the Black Sea Fleet turned out to be unable to preserve and use their advantages.

Nevertheless, it continues to show significant activity, including drawing rocket strokes in Ukraine and providing marine blockade. In the summer and fall of 2022, Western Allies supplied the Navy of Ukraine with anti -ship rockets Harpoon and Brimstone. The emergence of these missiles and numerous mine fields along the southern coast of Ukraine has significantly reduced the chances of success for the Russian landing.

The ships of the Russian Federation were forced to stay away from the Ukrainian shores. However, in the spring of 2022, Ukraine began to contradict the infrastructure of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Later, thanks to the skillful and efficient use of missiles, drones and aviation, Ukraine forced the Russian troops to leave the island of Snake. The attack of Ukrainian drones on the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol in August this year was also symbolic.

After the successful use of the latest Ukrainian developments - sea drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to create naval drones and deploy their production in Ukraine. This made it possible for Ukrainian fighters to apply a proportional response to the blocking actions of the Russian fleet, which they did, for example, when leaving the "grain agreement".

Yes, Ukraine attacked and damaged the Russian tanker in the Kerch Strait, after which it declared a zone of military threat six Russian ports - Anapa, Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Sochi and Taman, actually installing its maritime blockade. We will remind, on December 5 the ship "Tuch" was noticed in Novorossiysk. Its construction was completed in June 2023. The defeat of Askold's missile ship was confirmed in the Armed Forces Stratcom.