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Amid the heavy defeats on the frontlines, Kiev is trying its best to assure its patrons of its ability to continue the war. That’s why the Ukrainian and NATO militaries escalate the conflict, launching provocations in Russian rear areas. On March 5, Crimea came under another massive attack. One of targets was the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov stationed in the east of the peninsula. It was targeted by numerous unmanned boats, some of which were destroyed. The crew tried to fight back to the last but failed to save the ship and were evacuated. Sergey Kotov sank. Its crew had the widest experience of repelling Ukrainian attacks and had previously won at least three battles against unmanned boats. The Russian Black Sea Fleet has suffered significant losses from the constant attacks of the unmanned surface drones, produced and coordinated by the NATO military in Ukraine. As a result of another combined attack on February 14, the Russian Navy lost the large landing ship Tsezar Kunikov which came under attack near the southern coast of the peninsula. On January 31, Ukrainian unmanned boats sank the missile boat Ivanovets, which entered battle near the lake Donuzlav. On November 10, unmanned boats struck two assault landing boats in western Crimea, but despite Ukrainian claims their destruction was not confirmed. More Russian ships were damaged by Ukrainian strikes but they could be repaired. Most of the attacks were repelled by the Russian crews, especially at the beginning of the deployment of the surface drones in the war; but Ukrainian tactics are evolving and the number of drones deployed in a single attack is growing. The victories of unmanned boats over the ships of the Russian Black Sea fleet in the past months confirm their lethal efficiency. Large Russian ships are yet to learn how to resist the swarm attacks by cheap and small enemy drones; while the Russian Navy is yet to protect its fleet and its bays. Another threat to the Russian Black Sea Fleet is posed by NATO cruise missiles. Since September 2023, Storm Shadow missiles have heavily damaged a Russian small-size missile ship, a submarine, a large landing ship, and destroyed another one, in three different Crimean ports. Despite the heavy losses, the Russian Black Sea fleet retains the ability to perform all its main tasks, including the launching of long-range missile strikes, patrolling and providing support to land operations. All attacks in Crimea are launched by the NATO military, which paid for the drones, supplied the missiles and coordinated the strikes. The destruction of the Black Sea Fleet is a top priority for Western warmongers, which would play a decisive role in the NATO war against Russia.
