Recent videos of a sea drone attack on a Russian warship released by Russia’s Defence Ministry and by Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne tell two very different stories of the encounter. The Russian video shows a Ukrainian sea drone, a small … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Ukraine
On September 26, 2022, a series of clandestine bombings resulted in underwater gas leaks from the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines. Both pipelines were built to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, and are … Continue reading
At the end of October, Russia announced that Ukraine had launched the “most massive attack by drones and remotely piloted surface vehicles on the waters of the Bay of Sevastopol in the history of the conflict.” Unconfirmed sources claim that … Continue reading
The BBC reports that Russia says that Ukraine carried out a “massive” drone attack on Saturday on the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, damaging one warship. Nine drones were used, a top official said. Unconfirmed … Continue reading
At the end of July, Ukraine and Russia signed “mirror” deals that allowed Kyiv to resume exports of grain through the Black Sea. The agreement was purported to allow millions of tonnes of grain, currently trapped in Ukraine by the … Continue reading
Axioma, a $75-million superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian steel billionaire, was auctioned on Tuesday in Gibraltar, court sources said, in what is understood to be the first sale of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The 72.5-meter … Continue reading
The handysize bulk carrier Razoni was one of roughly 80 international vessels that have been stranded in Ukraine for more than six months by the ongoing Russian invasion. Now, the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel has sailed from the port of Odesa … Continue reading
In March, we posted about the sinking of a Russian Alligator Class landing ship by a Ukrainian ballistic missile strike in the Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk, which Russia captured in late February. The Russians are now salvaging the landing … Continue reading
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds to a bloody stalemate, the Russian navy is effectively blockading the northern Black Sea, cutting off maritime trade at Ukrainian ports, in what world leaders call a deliberate attack on the global food … Continue reading
Satellite photographs show Russia has deployed trained dolphins at the entrance to the key Black Sea port of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet. The dolphins are likely to be trained to intercept Ukrainian divers attempting to sabotage … Continue reading
Moskva, a guided-missile cruiser and the flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet, suffered ammunition explosions and fire while operating in the Black Sea off Odesa on April 13. Exactly what happened is unclear. Reuters reports that Ukraine’s southern military … Continue reading
On February 24, 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian naval vessel Vasily Bykov ordered the 13 Ukrainian border guards on Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender. The border guards replied, “Russian warship, go f*** yourself“. … Continue reading
On the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian naval vessel Vasily Bykov ordered the 13 Ukrainian border guards on Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender. The border guards replied, “go f*** yourself“. The warship … Continue reading
The impact of Russian sanctions is spreading across the shipping industry. Yesterday, Britain announced that Russian ships would be banned from UK ports as part of a new package of sanctions against Russia. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that he … Continue reading
France seized a Russian-flagged ro/ro cargo ship, Baltic Leader, on Saturday, in the English Channel, in accordance with recent sanctions put in place following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ship was bound for St. Petersburg, Russia, but was diverted … Continue reading
Reuters is reporting that Russian warships shelled Millennial Spirit, a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker, and Namura Queen, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea on Friday, one day after Russia began a full-scale invasion … Continue reading
German media reports that the 83-meter yacht, Graceful, believed to be owned by Vladimir Putin, has made a hasty departure from Hamburg, Germany, bound for Russia, before finishing repairs and renovations at the Blohm and Voss shipyard. Some speculate that … Continue reading
Back in 2010, we posted that some members of NATO were uncomfortable with a French contract to build two, with an option for two more, Mistral-class amphibious assault ships for Russia. The first ship, the Vladivostok, was supposed to be delivered … Continue reading
Stepping away for a moment from the unfolding current events in the Ukraine and Russia, it might be worthwhile to look at the history of the region, which was shaped by the arrival of merchant adventurers rowing long ships. As … Continue reading
Update: Reports of the defection of the frigate Hetman Sahaidachny are being denied by the Ukrainian military. The ship is reported to have be sighted in port in Crete still flying the Ukrainian flag. There are reports that the Ukraine’s Navy flagship, the frigate … Continue reading