Russia's Black Sea Fleet has suffered a series of major attacks that culminated in strikes on its headquarters on September 20 and 22, 2023. This was reported by the UK Ministry of Defense on its official Twitter account.

"The physical damage to the Black Sea Fleet is almost certainly serious but localized. The fleet almost certainly remains capable of carrying out its core military missions of cruise missile strikes and local security patrols," British intelligence said.

The intelligence suggests that the fleet's ability to carry out wider patrols and to enforce a de facto blockade of Ukrainian ports may be reduced. The fleet's ability to protect ships in port and conduct regular maintenance may also have deteriorated.


"A dynamic and serious battle is taking place in the Black Sea. This is likely to force Russia to take a defensive position, which will demonstrate the ability of the Ukrainian armed forces to undermine the Kremlin's symbolic and strategic threats from its warm-water port in occupied Sevastopol," the report says.

As a reminder, on September 22, the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was hit by a missile attack.