In a recent development, a Ukrainian commander has declared that Russia's presence in the Black Sea has been severely diminished, with only one "loser" missile ship remaining. Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk revealed in an interview with Ukrainian TV that the ship still stationed in Crimea is the Cyclone warship, belonging to Russia's Karakurt-class corvette.

Pletenchuk emphasized that the Black Sea Fleet, once considered a formidable force in Crimea, has been forced to relocate almost entirely due to successful Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine has been utilizing missiles and drones to target Russian vessels in Sevastopol, the major Black Sea port in Crimea.

The extent of Ukraine's success in crippling Russia's naval strength was highlighted last month, when a senior UK Royal Navy officer disclosed that 25% of Russia's Black Sea fleet had either been sunk or damaged. The latest attacks by Ukraine, carried out just last weekend, saw missiles striking four ships, including two large landing ships, Yamal and Azov, along with the spy ship Ivan Khurs and the Konstantin Olshansky large landing ship, which was seized from Ukraine in 2014 during the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

The effectiveness of Ukraine's operations has resulted in the Black Sea Fleet being labeled "functionally inactive" by the UK's defense minister. Furthermore, recent intelligence reports from the UK defense ministry indicate that Russian barges have been deployed near the Novorossiysk port entrance. The move is perceived as an attempt to bolster defenses against Ukrainian Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), which operate remotely and are armed with explosives to target Russian ships.

As the attacks on their traditional homeport of Sevastopol persist, some of the Black Sea Fleet's critical assets have sought refuge in the eastern Black Sea's Novorossiysk port. The UK defense department warns that Russian Vice Adm. Sergei Pinchuk, the successor of Adm. Viktor Sokolov (who was reportedly dismissed due to Ukrainian successes), is likely implementing preventive measures to enhance the survival chances of Russian vessels.

The situation in the Black Sea remains tense as Ukraine's relentless assaults continue to cripple Russian naval strength. With only one "loser" missile ship remaining, it remains to be seen how Russia will respond to the growing threat posed by Ukraine's targeted attacks on its Black Sea Fleet.