- Russia is probably moving naval operations away from Crimea amid Ukrainian attacks, UK intel says.
- Ukrainian strikes on the port of Sevastopol have ramped up pressure on the Black Sea Fleet.
A UK intelligence assessment said some of Russia's naval operations in the Black Sea had been relocated following recent Ukraine attacks on its Crimean base.
The UK's Ministry of Defence said Monday the threats had most likely pushed some of Russia's Black Sea fleet activities to move to the port of Novorossiysk, on Russia's western coast.
It didn't specify which vessels or activities had relocated.
—Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) $4
Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in recent weeks, including $4 on September 22.
A week earlier, Ukraine $4, damaging a submarine and a landing craft.
It has also $4 and $4 of underwater drone that's designed to sink Russian warships from below the surface.
Ben Hodges, a former commander of US Army Europe, $4 the strikes on Sevastopol were exposing Russia's vulnerabilities in Crimea and were part of an effort to isolate the peninsula and make it "untenable" for Russia to effectively hold.
Hodges said the strikes went hand in hand with the wider Ukrainian counteroffensive.
With the likely relocation of some maritime activities to Novorossiysk, Russia is now attempting to plug the gap with elements of its naval air force, the UK MOD says.
The ministry said air patrols by the Be-12 MAIL, a flying boat aircraft, were a "key asset" in this.
It also noted how Su-24 Fencer and Flanker variant combat jets are conducting maritime strike operations, "including at least one recent air strike on the strategically located Snake Island."
$4, in the northwestern Black Sea, early in its full-scale invasion, but has continued with attacks on it.
On September 24, $4 Russian planes dropped four guided aerial bombs over the island.