“On 1 July 2023, the Russian Navy established a new Azov Naval District, headquartered in the occupied Ukrainian port city of Mariupol,” the UK intelligence reports in its daily update.
According to UK Defense Intelligence, subordinate to the Black Sea Fleet (BSF), Azov Naval district will reportedly command eight warships including three modern, Karakurt class corvettes which can launch SS-N-30A Kalibr cruise missiles.
“The Azov Sea is a vital maritime area for Russia because it links its inland waterways to international maritime routes. In the context of the war, it also offers an alternative military resupply option should Russia’s over-land routes to southern Ukraine be disrupted.
The Azov Naval District will likely focus on supporting logistical and counter-partisan tasks, freeing up the main BSF to concentrate on long range strike operations and projecting maritime power further abroad.”
Read Also
-
Drones have not killed tank: Ukrainian analyst says Operation Vivaldi shows NATO how to make armor work again
-
US delays the Patriot missiles Ukraine needs against ballistic strikes but keeps sending older PAC-2s
-
“We have been killed”: Novaya Gazeta, the last major independent newsroom still working from inside Russia, closes after losing its Moscow office and its reader donations in the same week
