Navy day curtailed: Russian fleet problems exposed amid Ukrainian conflict
This year's Navy Day celebrations proved to be quite a disappointment for the Russians. A key part of the event had to be cancelled, and only two ships from the Black Sea Fleet participated in the parade in St. Petersburg. According to analysts and British intelligence, this is further evidence of the significant problems Russia is facing due to the war in Ukraine and the resulting losses.
Navy Day is a recurring holiday of the Russian fleet dating back to Soviet times. In 2017, Vladimir Putin reinstated it as a national holiday. This year's event took place on Sunday, 28 July, but a few days prior, British intelligence reported that the Russians were experiencing problems and that, for security reasons, a key part of the celebrations in Kronstadt had been cancelled.
Failed Navy Day celebrations in Russia
"This isn't the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine (in 2022) that various events in Russia have been cancelled for security reasons. However, this event is the most significant among them, indicating greater difficulties for the Kremlin in ensuring the security of its armed forces," read a statement from the British Ministry of Defence.
Russian media broadcasts showed parades taking place in St. Petersburg, Baltiysk, Vladivostok, Severomorsk, Kaspiysk, and the Russian base in Tartus, Syria. As noted by the BBC, Russian President Vladimir Putin was present in St. Petersburg.
However, he could not witness the full strength of the Black Sea Fleet, as only two of its ships were present: the corvette Mercury, which operates out of the Russian military base in Tartus, Syria, and the frigate Admiral Grigorovich. The latter has a displacement of approximately 4,400 tonnes, measures 125 metres in length, and 15 metres in width. The armament of the Russian frigate includes a 100-millimetre cannon, torpedo launchers, medium-range anti-aircraft missile launchers, and Oniks or Kalibr cruise missiles. The range of the latter reaches up to 2,500 kilometres.
Problems of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
Since 2022, the Ukrainian army has managed to attack over 20 Russian ships serving in the Black Sea. Some have been destroyed or at least damaged. Among others, the cruiser Moskva sank after being hit by Ukrainian Neptune missiles.
According to Ukrainian media, during the Navy Day celebrations, the Russians did not display any damaged ships from the Black Sea Fleet, thus not providing evidence of rapid repairs as claimed by Russian propaganda.
