Naval News – Russia is locked in increased tensions with NATO, primarily as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. The strategically relevant exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic may be another flashpoint. Now Russia has deployed advanced anti-ship missiles to firing positions on the coast.

CIMSEC – While Moskva was a large and capable surface warship that invited comparisons with the losses of larger combatants, the Russian cruiser’s demise may have much more in common with that of the Royal Navy Type 42 destroyer Sheffield than Belgrano or any World War II warship.

War Zone – After an eventful career, the sole pump-jet-driven Kilo class submarine is likely about to embark on combat operations against Ukraine.

RUSI – Constraints on Russia’s shipbuilding industry and its finances mean it is increasingly likely that its surface navy will evolve into a green water fleet based around frigates and corvettes.

War Zone – Placing the Tor surface-to-air missile system on the Corvette was likely an improvised countermeasure following the sinking of the Moskva.

Euroweekly – The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence’s intelligence unit is reporting that some Russian sailors are refusing to carry out combat tasks on the country’s warships due to them being in such critical condition and commanders taking maintenance money.

(Thanks to Alain)

Barents Observer – The country’s revised Marine Doctrine includes a high stress on use of civilian ships and infrastructure for military purposes.

Comment is Freed – Sir Lawrence Freedman writes that “There is, however, another aspect to this war which has received insufficient attention, though it is now slowly coming into focus and where pressure could build for a NATO operation. This is the need to relieve the blockade Russia has successfully inflicted on Ukraine’s southern ports in the Black Sea. This is urgent not only because of the effect on Ukraine’s battered economy but also on supplies of essential agricultural products to the rest of the world. If Russian forces continue to be pushed back, and as the diplomacy to bring the war to a conclusion is stepped up, this will be a critical issue to be addressed, possibly linked to Russian demands for relief from sanctions. If this is not addressed diplomatically then there could be demands on the major maritime powers to mount freedom of navigation operations to break the blockade.”

Naval News – One of Russia’s first moves in its invasion of Ukraine was the capture of Snake Island. Two months later they are desperately struggling to keep it. This is a sign of their weakening dominance over the Northern Black Sea.

USNI News – The crew of RTS Moskva was blind to and not ready for the Ukrainian missile attack that sank Russia’s Black Sea flagship, according to a new analysis of the April 13 strike reviewed by USNI News.

USNI Proceedings – Russia’s megaton-class Kanyon weapon disrupts arms control and deterrence.

USNI Proceedings – Destruction of critical infrastructure by long-range precision strikes has become the Russian Navy’s newest mission.

US Naval War College Review – The Russian naval presence in the western Indian Ocean and recent acquisition of a naval base on the shores of the Red Sea do not reflect an oceanic ambition in the region but rather a primary motivation that is land-centric and littoral: to gain access to the African continent and maintain close relations with partners in the region.

War Zone – Kommuna, an antique Russian Navy salvage ship, has embarked on a mission to investigate a potential salvage operation for the Moskva wreck.

War on the Rocks – When examining the maritime elements of the war, three points of analysis are worth consideration: first, the nature of conflict at sea and its existence out of sight of land and in a different domain which confounds our understanding; second, how the Russian navy pursued the basic elements of naval strategy reflects their continued relevance in this century; and third, the ways in which Ukraine has adapted to the conflict, and how it might make future adjustments, requires understanding of the naval past and creative thinking about the naval future.

The Barents Observer – The “Admiral Nakhimov” will be the most powerful surface vessel in the Russian Navy when reconstruction is completed presumably in 2023.

CIMSEC – This article looks at Russia’s maritime doctrine, assets, basing facilities, deployments, and relationships in the Indo-Pacific.

BBC – A Russian warship that was damaged by an explosion on Wednesday has sunk, Russia’s defence ministry has said.

BBC – Russia’s flagship Black Sea missile cruiser has been “seriously damaged” and its crew forced to evacuate.

Jerusalem Post – Some Russian shipyards are unable to construct warships or conduct maintenance on vessels due to financial hardships and lack of foreign components, the Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate (GUR) claimed on Saturday.

(Thanks to Alain)

USNI News – Russian Navy ships in the Black Sea are currently resupplying troops in Ukraine instead of playing an offensive role.

CIMSEC – How might Russian maritime forces be brought to bear against the United States and its allies? This question is particularly critical as fears of inadvertent escalation in Ukraine increase. Understanding the answer requires a close reading of what Russian military theorists themselves write about warfare, matched with an examination of maritime geography; combat power; and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR-T). Constraints in all of these areas mean that rather than solely seeking out targets at sea for a series of navy-on-navy fights, Russian maritime forces are likely to be more effective at operations that focus on striking “critical objects” on land rather than ship-to-ship combat at sea.

USNI News – Nearly six weeks into the war in Ukraine, merchant ships in the Black Sea have become stranded, halting the import and export of vital commodities, a situation that could have wide-ranging impacts on the global economy. With the Black Sea blockaded by Russia and Ukraine placing mines around its ports, merchant ships can neither come nor go, leaving the mariners aboard stuck in a war zone.

Naval News – The Ukrainian Navy was no match for the massive concentration of Russian naval forces in the Black Sea. Yet Russia’s most impressive warship there, the Slava class cruiser Moskva, has mostly remained out of sight. We can shine a light on what she has been up to so far in the war.

Navy Lookout – In the early morning of 24 March, a Russian tank landing ship unloading in the occupied port of Berdyansk in Ukraine was destroyed by explosions and fire. Here we look at the background, the loss of this vessel and its potential implications.