A third of Russia's war ships in the Black Sea have been either sunk or disabled by Kyiv's forces since the war began just over two years ago, according to Ukraine's navy.
The figures came from Ukrainian navy spokesperson Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk after Kyiv claimed to have struck four Russian vessels with domestically built Neptune missiles in a single day in annexed Crimea—the Russian amphibious landing ship Kostantin Olshansky, two of Russia's large landing ships, the Yamal and the Azov, and Russia's reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs.
"Our ultimate goal is complete absence of military ships of the so-called Russian Federation in the Azov and Black Sea regions," Pletenchuk said.
Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Kyiv has targeted Russia's Black Sea Fleet throughout President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of the country, which began in February 2022. Ukraine has vowed to reverse the Russian leader's 2014 annexation of Crimea, which now serves as Moscow's central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine.
Molfar, an open-source intelligence agency, in analysis of Russia's fleet losses between February 24, 2022, to February 15, 2024, reported that a wide range of Putin's naval forces have been targeted in the war, with losses including both small and large ships performing various functions, from amphibious operations to patrolling.
"The most vulnerable turned out to be patrol boats and landing craft, indicating the high effectiveness of Ukrainian defense means," Molfar found. "The losses of large landing ships and frigates diminish the aggressor's capability to conduct large-scale maritime operations, having long-term strategic consequences for the Russian fleet."
Below is a full list of the Russian naval vessels reported to have been damaged or destroyed by Ukraine since February 2022.
Moskva, Slava-class guided missile cruiser (destroyed)
The most high-profile loss suffered by Moscow in the war so far. Ukraine said it struck and sunk the Moskva cruiser, Russia's Black Sea flagship, with two Neptune missiles on April 14, 2022.
The Kremlin sought to downplay the loss, telling reporters that the vessel, which had roughly 500 personnel, "lost its stability due to damage to the hull received during the fire from the detonation of ammunition[...]during the towing of the Moskva cruiser to the port of destination."
"In the conditions of stormy seas, the ship sank," the Kremlin told state media.
Saratov, Tapir-class amphibious landing ship (destroyed)
Kyiv's forces reportedly sank the ship on March 24, 2022 with a Soviet Tochka-U ballistic missile while it was docked in Berdiansk in Ukraine's occupied Zaporizhzhia region. Russia only admitted the loss of Saratov on the 1-year anniversary of the ship's destruction.
Five Raptor-class patrol boats (three destroyed, two damaged)
Ukraine has destroyed three Russian Raptor-class patrol ships and damaged a further two since the war began, the Oryx open-source intelligence outlet has visually confirmed.
Two of these were destroyed with a Ukrainian Bayraktar drone in May 2022 near Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Black Sea, then Chief of General Staff Valeriy Zaluzhniy said at the time.
The high-speed patrol boats are capable of engaging in search-and-rescue, anti-sabotage, and anti-terrorism operations.
One Project 02510 BK-16E high-speed assault boat (destroyed)
According to Oryx, the vessel was destroyed on May 2, 2022. Russian state-run media notes that the high-speed assault boat can be used to provide fire support for a landing party, participate in anti-saboteur measures, fight piracy and terrorism, carry light cargoes and take part in rescue operations.
Vasily Bekh, Project 22870 rescue tug (destroyed)
Kyiv's military said it struck the Vasily Bekh tugboat in the Black Sea with two Harpoon missiles in June 2022. Ukraine's Armed Forces Strategic Communications Directorate released a video that appeared to show the attack.
Ivan Golubets, Project 266M Natya-class minesweeper (damaged)
The Russian Defense Ministry said in October 2022 that the minesweeper Ivan Golubets was damaged during a "massive attack" involving drones on the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea. The operation was conducted with nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and seven "maritime drones," Moscow said.
One Project 640 small patrol boat (destroyed)
The vessel was destroyed with a Ukrainian Bayraktar drone in the northwestern part of the Black Sea in September 2023 as it was unloading equipment, according to Oryx. A video published on social media appears to show the moment of impact.
Three Ropucha-class landing ships (Minsk damaged beyond economical repair, Olenegorsky Gornyak and another damaged)
Oryx visually confirmed attacks on three Ropucha-class landing ships, including the Olenegorskiy Gornyak, which became the second-largest Russian ship to be damaged after the Moskva.
The Minsk was targeted by Ukraine in September 2023 with cruise missiles at the Sevmorzavod shipyard in Sevastopol. The U.K. government assessed the Minsk had "almost certainly been functionally destroyed."
Two Serna-class landing craft (one destroyed, one damaged)
In November 2023, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published footage showing Ukrainian naval drones targeting small Russian landing boats near Vuzka Bay in the west of Crimea.
Askold, cruise missile carrier corvette (damaged)
The corvette from the 22800 Karakurt-class project cruiser was damaged in a Ukrainian attack on Crimea in November 2023. A photo and video circulating on social media appeared to show the charred remains of the cruise-missile carrier at the Zaliv shipyard.
Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications reported that the vessel had sustained significant damage and "may be beyond repair."
One Project 1176 Ondatra-class landing craft (damaged)
On November 10, 2023, the Defense Intelligence department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine released a video showing how Ukrainian kamikaze boats in the area of Vuzka Bay attacked the ship.
Novocherkassk, Ropucha-class landing ship (destroyed)
In December 2023, Kyiv targeted the vessel with a cruise missile as it was docked at Feodosia in Crimea. A total of 77 sailors were onboard the large landing ship at the time of the attack, Russian-language Telegram channel Astra reported.
Ivanovets, Project 12411 Tarantul-III-class corvette (destroyed)
On February 1, Ukrainian naval drones destroyed Russia's missile-armed corvette Ivanovets near Crimea in a nighttime operation.
Kyiv said its forces also carried out that attack using MAGURA V5 sea drones. Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, told The War Zone website that the drones "sent it to the bottom of the Black Sea."
Caesar Kunikov, Ropucha-class landing ship (destroyed)
Ukraine said in February that the Caesar Kunikov began to sink after sustaining damage on its left side. Ukraine's intelligence service released a video purportedly showing the moment its forces struck the vessel with MAGURA V5 sea drones off the Crimean Peninsula, near the city of Alupka.
Sergey Kotov, Project 22160 large patrol boat (destroyed)
Five Ukrainian MAGURA V5 naval drones reportedly hit the Sergey Kotov in the Kerch Strait, which separates occupied Crimea from Russia, overnight on March 5.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (GUR) said the $65-million ship had suffered damage to its stern and on its left and right sides and eventually sank.
Yamal and Azov, Ropucha-class landing ships (damaged)
Kyiv's military said on March 24 that it attacked two of Russia's large landing ships, the Yamal and the Azov, in strikes on the Crimean port city of Sevastopol. Ukraine also said it had targeted a Russian communications hub and other, unspecified infrastructure facilities.
Ivan Khurs, intelligence ship (damaged)
Ukraine claimed to have struck the Ivan Khurs, launched in 2017, in the same strike last weekend. Two missiles struck the vessel, Astra reported, citing anonymous sources.
The ship's tasks include providing communications and fleet control, conducting radio reconnaissance and electronic warfare, and monitoring components of enemy missile defense systems.
The vessel was "likely" damaged, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Pletenchuk told the United States-backed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Kostantin Olshansk, amphibious landing ship (destroyed)
Pletenchuk said the landing ship, which was Ukrainian before being captured by Russia in 2014, "is not combat-capable" following a missile strike.
Ukraine's navy said in a statement on March 26 that Kyiv had "successfully destroyed" the Konstantin Olshansky, and the three other vessels it targeted over the weekend.
Ukraine struck the vessel, which was being "prepared for use against Ukraine," with a home-built Neptune anti-ship missile, Pletenchuk said.
Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur. Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. Isabel ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
