Black Sea Fleet: 240 Years of Ensuring Russia's Maritime Security

For almost two-and-a-half centuries, the Black Sea Fleet has heroically defended its home port during the Crimean War, made great sacrifices during the Great Patriotic War and managed to preserve the "core of the fleet" in the difficult Nineties.

Today, the Black Sea Fleet guarantees Russia's security in the south of the country. It includes dozens of the most modern warships and submarines equipped with the latest missile weapons, which allow sailors to tackle any situation in remote areas of the seas and oceans, including off the coast of Syria.

The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Defense of Sevastopol and the Battle of the Crimea (September 1941 - July 1942). Battleship "Sevastopol" is firing at enemy positions in the North Bay.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet includes:

Diesel-electric submarines (powered by electricity as well as diesel);

Ships capable of operating in distant and near seas;

Missile carriers, anti-submarine and fighter aircraft; and

Coast Guard units.

Navy men during the celebration of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's 230th anniversary in Sevastopol, Russia, on May 13, 2023.

Go to the mediabank

Black Sea Fleet to have three ships equipped with long-range, high-precision missiles

In 2023, the combat power of the Black Sea Fleet will be supplemented by three small Karakurt-class corvette. They will be armed with long-range, high-precision 3M54-1 Kalibr missiles.

Project 22800 corvette, codenamed Karakurt, - a multi-purpose missile corvete designed for the littoral area at Pella Leningrad Shipyard in St. Petersburg, on June 16, 2017.

Go to the mediabank

The Black Sea Fleet strengthens its defenses against drone attacks

The Black Sea Fleet has increased the protection of its bases against surface and underwater drone attacks, the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Viktor Sokolov, said.

1 / 6

The battleship Katherine II of the Black Sea Fleet, the first Russian ship on which special Hace glue was applied to resist the decay of the lining under the armor. Launched in 1886. The Central Naval Museum on 1 April 1968.

2 / 6

Servicemen of the Russian Black Sea Fleet stand in formation on board the Rostov-on-Don diesel-electric submarine during a review of warships before seasonal naval drills in the port of Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia, on 1 June 2020.

Go to the mediabank

3 / 6

In this handout video grab released by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), artillery pieces are seen on a ship during naval drills in the waters of the Black Sea coast of Crimea, Russia, on 12 February 2022.

Go to the mediabank

4 / 6

Navy Day celebrations in Sevastopol, Russia. Black Sea Fleet Commander Admiral Igor Kasatonov reviews the formation of sailors on Grafskaya Wharf, on 26 July 1990.

5 / 6

Ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy sail during a rehearsal of the naval parade marking the Russian Navy Day in Novorossiysk, Russia, on 24 July 2020.

Go to the mediabank

6 / 6

Russian Navy frigate, Admiral Makarov, sailed from Sevastopol into the Mediterranean, in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia, on 23 September 2019. During the long-distance voyage, Russian sailors will visit the Greek Islands of Corfu and Vido, where they will take part in the events of the public forum, 'Russian Week in the Lonian Islands', which holds days of the memory of the famous Admiral Fyodor Ushakov.

Since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, frigates, small missile ships and submarines of the Black Sea Fleet armed with "Kaliber" missile systems have attacked more than 180 targets of the Ukrainian armed forces, including radar stations of air defense systems, points of temporary deployment of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, missile and artillery weapons depots, oil and air bases.