Black Sea Fleet

Low water levels in the Danube River, caused by drought, have exposed hulks of Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet abandoned in 1944. The ships, scuttled near the Serbian-Romanian border, were revealed again in 2022 and now threaten navigation as larger vessels cannot pass.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed strikes on Russian military targets in Crimea, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, including rail bridges, a naval drone depot, and a Black Sea Fleet facility. Specific targets included a Syvash railway bridge, a drone storage site near Chornomorske, and logistics depots in Podove and Tokmak.

A Ukrainian drone strike targeted Russian oil refineries in Ufa, Bashkortostan, and military positions in occupied Crimea on Aug. 1. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 274 drones across 16 regions, with fires breaking out at refinery facilities in Ufa and a Black Sea Fleet electronic warfare center and air defense base in Crimea.

Leaked documents from Void Group reveal Russian military authorities are gathering information on families of the Black Sea Fleet for potential evacuation from occupied Crimea. This action follows intensified Ukrainian strikes in the region.

Ukraine’s drone campaign has isolated Crimea, cutting Russian supply lines and forcing the relocation of the Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to the Russian mainland. Half of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been sunk since 2022, and Crimeans are fleeing due to food and fuel shortages.

A Ukrainian commander expressed unease over NATO's approach to developing naval drones, highlighting that NATO's designs lack the combat experience-driven modifications seen in Ukraine's drones, which have effectively targeted Russia's Black Sea Fleet. NATO countries are adopting naval drones following Ukraine's success, but the commander notes differences in design and purpose, with NATO's drones primarily used for patrols and surveillance rather than combat operations.