Russia has not deployed warships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov for almost six months. This was stated by Ukrainian Navy spokesman Captain 3rd Rank Dmytro Pletenchuk.
“For practically almost half a year now, the enemy has not deployed any ships in the Sea of Azov or the Black Sea,” Pletenchuk said in a television interview, quoted by the Ukrainian agency Ukrinform. According to him, the situation has remained unchanged for the sixth consecutive month, and Russian ships are not staying at sea.
Pletenchuk linked the absence of Russian ships to the danger of their being hit by Ukrainian defense forces. He said that Ukrainian forces continue to strike targets at long range and described their ability to hit precisely such facilities as “a real achievement.”
Pressure on Russian Exports as Well
According to the Ukrainian official, the problems with shipping in the Black Sea are already affecting Russian exports as well. He pointed out that Russia is being forced to reroute shipments of agricultural products and tanker oil via the Baltic and North seas.
He said that iron and other raw materials are also being exported from Russia’s southern regions via northern routes. The Black Sea had played a key role in the export of agricultural products and was of significant importance for the transportation of tanker oil.
“After creating problems in the Black Sea, the Russians were forced to change the direction of their exports,” Pletenchuk said.
Strike on Ust-Luga
His statement came after an attack on infrastructure at the Russian port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad Region. On the night of November 11, Ukraine’s Security Service and other units of the defense forces struck facilities belonging to the port, oil-refining and transport infrastructure.
Pletenchuk cited this particular strike as an example of the Ukrainian forces’ actions against Russian targets. According to him, the consequences of Russia’s actions must be felt in full, while long-range attacks demonstrate a change in the capabilities of Ukraine’s defense.
Sources: ukrinform.ua