Russian aviation sharply reduces Black Sea sorties

Ukrainian Navy reports Russian aviation has sharply reduced sorties over the Black Sea over the past two weeks, according to a statement made on August 4. Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, explained to state news agency Ukrinform that the number of aircraft sorties has decreased by approximately tenfold. He noted that while previously dozens of sorties were conducted daily, now only a few occur.

Pletenchuk emphasized that Russia's Crimea-based aviation traditionally held air superiority over the Black Sea and remains a significant threat to Ukraine in the region. However, he pointed out that the decreased combat flights may hinder Moscow's ability to execute plans in the Black Sea. He stated that the reduction in fixed-wing activity could signal Russia's difficulties in supplying the occupation forces in Crimea.

Despite the lower number of fixed-wing aircraft sorties, Pletenchuk warned that Russia continues to use missiles and kamikaze drones against civilian ships. Furthermore, he revealed that Russian forces have recently resumed repeated strikes on vessels that have been in ports in Mykolaiv Oblast for extended periods. Pletenchuk explained that these attacks appear to serve no military purpose and are likely intended to create a propaganda image for domestic audiences in Russia.

He pointed out that the same ships are being hit multiple times - largely abandoned or laid-up vessels primarily located in Mykolaiv. Pletenchuk emphasized that there is fundamentally no military rationale for these repeated attacks.