The Ukrainian Navy forced the Russian fleet to leave Crimea. According to Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk, the Russian occupiers have only left auxiliary ships on the peninsula, relocating all combat ships to other bases.
'This is vessel support, the so-called auxiliary fleet, units that cannot be called combat, but are part of the fleet, performing tasks to ensure its operations. Small boats also play a significant role in Crimea, which they use to secure basing points, patrol the water area, and carry out anti-sabotage defense.'
Pletenchuk explained that only small boats such as 'Hrachonok', 'Raptor', and others with crews of up to 10 people remain on the peninsula, which, although they can go to sea for missions, do not have the necessary armament.
'This is a way to adapt to the conditions created for them by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They also periodically lost these boats, especially during rotational activities in some coastal areas inaccessible to motor transport,' the spokesman noted.
The Russian combat ships left Crimea after one of the patrol ships was mined by Ukrainian drones, which led to mine damage. Thanks to the successful actions of the Ukrainian Navy and drone systems, the Russian fleet was forced to leave its Crimean bases and relocate to other ports.
The Ukrainian Navy demonstrated a high level of preparedness and forced the Russian fleet to retreat from Crimea after the drone incident. This indicates the effectiveness of Ukrainian defense efforts at the maritime front in the region. The de-escalation of the conflict and the successful removal of potential threats to the security of Ukraine's coastline increases security in the Black Sea region.