Last year, Ukraine’s Naval Forces achieved dozens of successful strikes on approximately 50 Russian military targets, including in temporarily occupied Crimea, said Vice Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa, Commander of Ukraine’s Naval Forces, on Facebook.
Russia continues its deliberate daily air attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Since October 2022, it has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities with extensive missile and drone assaults, aiming to disrupt civilian life, particularly during the winter months. At the same time, in 2024, Ukraine received over 6,000 long-range strike drones. They were utilized against Russian infrastructure, targeting oil refineries and ammunition depots.
“I have conducted a meeting summarizing the activities of Ukraine’s Naval Forces for 2024. We have reviewed reports on combat achievements, port and coastline defense, mine countermeasures, maritime corridor operations, air defense, personnel readiness, and training,” Neizhpapa stated.
He emphasized that the Naval Forces remain steadfast in defense, utilizing every available means to weaken Russian combat capabilities.
“Throughout the year, missile and unmanned maritime systems inflicted significant damage on around 50 enemy military sites, including airfields, ammunition and fuel depots, Shahed production and storage facilities, air defense and surveillance systems, logistical hubs, and Russian military-industrial enterprises,” he highlighted.
In addition, aviation reconnaissance played a critical role, logging nearly 700 flight hours and identifying around 400 Russian targets. These reconnaissance efforts, supported by a sevenfold increase in trained unmanned aerial vehicle pilots compared to the previous year, provided essential data for combat operations.
Ukraine’s Naval Forces also severely disrupted Russian operations at the Sevastopol naval base, forcing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to relocate most of its warships, including all Kalibr missile carriers, to Novorossiysk. Ukrainian defenders restricted Russian naval maneuverability in the Sea of Azov, pushing their vessels back to bases in Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Neizhpapa noted that the secure operation of the maritime corridor enabled the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain, bolstering the national economy and global food security.
For 2025, the priorities include enhancing personnel training to protect lives, locating and neutralizing enemy targets, and further degrading Russia’s military potential.
Earlier, Neizhpapa revealed that 19 countries joined the Coalition for Maritime Capabilities, according to UkrInform. Its partners reaffirmed their full support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom and commitment to expanding collaboration.
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