Ukraine continues to assert its naval prowess in the Black Sea, reportedly taking out another Russian warship over the weekend.
As Kyiv's forces target Russian naval assets, reports suggest the minesweeper Kovrovets and the corvette Cyclone might be the latest casualties.
Unconfirmed Reports on New Losses
While the Ukrainian navy confirmed the destruction of the minesweeper Kovrovets, details remain sparse.
Social media and open-source intelligence accounts hint that the corvette Cyclone, stationed near Crimea, might also be down, although Kyiv has yet to confirm these claims.
This attack on the Kovrovets marks a continued trend of Ukrainian assaults on Russian naval power.
The strikes have compelled Moscow to reconsider its naval deployments. Consistent Ukrainian attacks have pushed Russia to relocate its Black Sea assets from Crimea to the Novorossiysk base in Russia's Krasnodar region.
Western intelligence suggests that Russia has curtailed its operations in the western Black Sea, where Ukrainian forces pose a significant threat. In March, the Ukrainian Navy claimed to have neutralized around one-third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
"The navy has suffered significantly in the Black Sea," noted General Christopher Cavoli, U.S. European Command chief, in April.
Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has targeted multiple Russian vessels, including landing ships and missile-armed corvettes.
Moscow has been scrambling to bolster its defenses, deploying decoys and reinforcing its Black Sea bases against drone and missile attacks.
The British government reported Russia's efforts to protect its fleet, including the installation of large-caliber machine guns to fend off naval drones.
In a notable admission, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian navy, revealed in late March that Russia had only one combat vessel left in Crimea. This solitary vessel, the Cyclone, remains a critical asset for Russia, given its capabilities. The Cyclone, a Karakurt-class corvette equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, was inducted into the Black Sea Fleet in July 2023.
