At the onset of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, russia perceived its Black Sea Fleet as a prestigious, strategic, and historic symbol of its military power. However, four years of non-conventional, asymmetric focused Ukrainian resistance have left the Black Sea Fleet geographically constrained, with substantial materiel losses and a damaged reputation, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
Prior to February 2022, the Ukrainian Navy was heavily overmatched by the Black Sea Fleet and limited in its capability beyond patrolling Ukraine's maritime border.
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However, since then, Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged at least 25 russian Navy vessels operating in the Black Sea.
This includes the Slava-class Moskva flagship, a "cutting-edge" air defense platform, in 2022, and the unprecedented December 2025 Ukrainian unmanned underwater vehicle strike against Kilo-class Kolpino submarine, which resulted in significant damage to the submarine, leaving it unable to sail of its own accord or deploy.
Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to abandon its historic homeport of Sevastopol for Novorossiysk, in the eastern Black Sea. It's ability to project maritime power in the region and beyond has been severely constrained, as it is continuously compelled to adapt its tactics in a diminished operating environment.
As Defense Express previously reported, four years into the war, the majority of the professional russian Ground Forces that started the war has been attritted. This has forced russia to rely on a large mass of low-quality personnel to continue to prosecute the war against Ukraine.
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