Since the events of 2014, a majority of the Ukrainian Navy vessels that remained in Sevastopol have faced decisive actions. Multiple reports indicate that roughly two-thirds of these ships were subsequently scrapped or used as targets in missile tests. This information comes from a source within Crimea’s power structures, as cited by RIA News. The overarching claim is that the ships stationed in Sevastopol after 2014 are slated for destruction, a process reportedly already well underway in the years that followed.
The same source notes that the recycling and disposal activities have largely taken place in Inkerman, a suburb of Sevastopol. There, a ship recycling facility with roots dating back to the Soviet era has continued to operate, handling the dismantling and processing of maritime assets tied to the Ukrainian Navy. The ongoing operations are presented as part of broader strategic and military terminology used by regional authorities to describe the post-2014 status of these vessels.
On January 22, the agency stated that the ships left in Sevastopol will not be transferred to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This stance reflects the official position circulated by the agency, highlighting the separation of these vessels from ongoing naval integration plans.
Earlier, Sergei Rudskoi, who heads the main operational directorate of Russia’s General Staff, asserted that during Russia’s special operation the Ukrainian Navy essentially ceased to exist in its former form. This remark framed the post-2014 developments as a decisive restructuring of maritime forces in the region.
Additionally, former officials involved with the Russian Black Sea Fleet have commented on the transformation of the Ukrainian Navy character, describing it as evolving into a fleet that would function differently within the regional maritime landscape. The discourse around this shift has repeatedly emphasized strategic realignment rather than a simple, static disposition of ships, suggesting a broader rethinking of naval assets and their role in regional security dynamics.