Articles of War – On June 17, Ukrainian forces successfully used a U.S.-supplied Harpoon anti-ship cruise missile to attack and sink a Russian resupply ship that “almost certainly” carried weapons and reinforcements bound for Snake Island in the Black Sea. Two weeks later, on June 30, Russian troops evacuated the small outpost. Moscow had claimed the retreat from Snake Island was a “gesture of goodwill” in advance of recognizing a humanitarian corridor to permit the safe export of grain from Ukraine. But Ukraine said the Russians were forced out as their position on the barren rock had become untenable without logistical support. Ukraine raised its flag on Snake Island on July 4.

Naval News – Russia’s navy is, by any measure, more powerful than Ukraine’s. But the war is not going all their way. At sea, the Russian Navy is finding itself retreating from a large swathe of the Black Sea.

Navy Lookout – Before Russia invaded Ukraine it was considered the ‘breadbasket of Europe’ responsible for about 13% of global grain exports. Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea is preventing this grain from reaching markets all over the world causing global food shortages and price hikes. Various politicians have called for naval intervention and here we look at the situation and the options for resolving this crisis.

USNI News – Ukrainian forces used a Harpoon missile to sink a Russian resupply ship headed to Snake Island.

War Zone – Following heavy Ukrainian bombardment, Russian forces have now performed a “tactical withdrawal” from the strategic outpost in the Black Sea.

USNI News – The 18 patrol boats being sent to Ukraine as part of additional aid announced Thursday will be used to monitor and protect Ukraine’s rivers.

War Zone – The northwestern Black Sea is becoming more of a free-fire zone with each passing day and it will only become more-so as new weapons arrive.

Naval News – Ukrainian Armed Forces struck the Russian Navy’s project 22870 Rescue Tug, Vasily Bekh (SB-739), with two anti-ship missiles while the ship was en route to the Snake Island on June 17, 2022.

USNI News – The United States will be sending two vehicle-mounted anti-ship missile platforms to Ukraine as part of a new $1 billion military aid package to Kyiv.

Naval News – The Ukrainian grain crisis continues as a result of Russia’s blockade of Black Sea ports, which prevents Ukrainian wheat shipments. As the war continues, the stocks of countries that rely on Ukraine for wheat are diminishing. A possible famine is looming. Everyone agrees on the necessity to solve this problem to avoid a major humanitarian crisis. But how?

USNI News – Ukrainian forces have deployed Harpoon anti-ship missiles to the Black Sea as a counter to Russian surface ships in the region, Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said.

War Zone – Even if a deal is reached to allow grain shipments from Ukraine, sea mines could make doing so impossible for months.

War Zone – The Robot 17 system will provide Ukraine with a survivable short-range coastal defense capability.

USNI News – The Danish Armed Forces are sending long-range anti-ship missiles to Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters on Monday. The range of Denmark’s coastal defense Harpoons could put Russian ships at risk in the Northern Black Sea.

Naval News – The Ukrainian Navy’s investment in the Bayraktar TB2 drone is paying off. Russia enjoys a complete technological and numerical advantage. Yet its navy is proving easy prey to the small, slow and lightly armed UAV.

War Zone – The Ukrainian military claims to have used its Turkish-supplied TB2 drones to destroy a pair of Russian patrol craft in the Black Sea.

CIMSEC – Being without a Navy, fortunately, does not mean that there is no seapower acting in Ukraine’s interest, or that there are no naval lessons or innovations coming from this terrible and hopefully short conflict. From Maine to Majorca, Turkey to Panama, a distributed network of international maritime actors has emerged in response to Russian aggression. It manifests a theory that was developed 17 years ago — the “1,000 Ship Navy” (TSN).

CIMSEC – To deny sea control to the Russians, Ukraine needs sea mines, coastal defense cruise missiles, and scouting assets, such as fast patrol boats and drones. These systems have a symbiotic relationship in layered defense. Mines slow down the adversary; during clearance operations, CDCMs have an opportunity to engage the slowed vessels; and scouting assets support maritime domain awareness for over the horizon targeting. NATO should rush these weapons to support Ukraine’s defense.

Maritime Executive – Ukraine’s military claims to have hit a Russian patrol ship with a shore-based rocket attack, marking the first reported casualty for a Russian Navy vessel since the start of the invasion in February. The vessel has been tentatively identified as the Vasily Bykov, the lead ship of the lightly-armed Project 22160 class of patrol vessels, and the extent of the damage is unknown. 

(Thanks to Alain)

War Zone – As Russia continues its advance on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea-facing flank, it appears that the Ukrainian Navy is taking no chances in providing Moscow with a major battlefield trophy — the flagship of its fleet, the Hetman Sahaidachny (U130). 

Naval News – Tension between Ukraine and Russia (behind closed doors, NATO and Russia) is rising day by day. Both sides’ words and moves exacerbate the potential for a conflict. While the Black Sea is on the verge of witnessing high intensity combats for the first time in over a century, the most pressing question arises: Can Ukraine resist?

CNN – The question is whether new Ukrainian ships and infrastructure, plus warnings from the West, will be enough of a deterrent to Russia.

Navy Lookout – As part of the Ukrainian Naval Capabilities Enhancement Programme (UNCEP) agreement signed with the UK government in October 2020, Babcock will build at least one, probably two Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) for Ukraine at their Rosyth facility.

(Thanks to Alain)

Defense News – When Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, it absorbed land and people. But in the process, and with less attention, Russia also took 75 percent of Ukraine’s naval fleet, the majority of its helicopters and the bulk of the country’s ship repair capacity.

Defense News – A December 2020 deal between Turkey and Ukraine for the sale of an unknown batch of Turkish-built corvettes has turned out to involve two vessels.

(Thanks to Alain)