National Interest: The Russian Navy Is "underwater"
25- 19.10.2025, 18:32
- 11,288
The Novorossiysk accident - is just one of the problems.
NATO officials have reported a marked reduction in the presence of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, writes The National Interest. According to the NATO official, Moscow has only a few naval units in the region at a time. "In our assessment, the Russian navy, which is already under-resourced in the deployment of its forces, is now facing force generation problems and dilemmas that are affecting its position in the Mediterranean Sea," the spokesman told Defense News.
One of the improved Project Kilo submarines was forced to return to the Baltic Sea due to a mechanical malfunction in the Mediterranean. "Novorossiysk" problems - are just one of the serious difficulties affecting the maintenance of Moscow's naval presence in the region.
Failures of the Russian navy
Perhaps the biggest setback for the Russian navy since the war in Ukraine began in early 2022 has been the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. During the Syrian civil war in 2018, the Russian navy was arguably at the peak of its power as the Kremlin's position in the Middle East was also strengthening. Moscow's direct involvement in the Syrian war made maintaining Assad's power critical for the Kremlin. However, by the end of 2024, Moscow lost its longtime base in Tartus: the transitional Syrian government ended Russia's presence in the region and demanded the complete withdrawal of its naval forces from the area.
Without a base in Tartus, it became extremely difficult for Russia to maintain a significant submarine presence in the Mediterranean Sea, as they must now sail from the Baltic to even enter the region. Discussing this problem, the previously mentioned NATO representative also noted, "With the loss of this port, for example, if they want to send a Kilo project submarine into the area, they have to send it on its way from one of the northern or Baltic ports - it is now much more difficult to maintain operations."
Russian Navy "underwater"
Ukraine has also inflicted tangible damage on the Russian fleet since the war began. According to Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk, a Russian landing ship docked in Sevastopol was badly damaged in a strike last year. Ukraine's arsenal of naval drones, guided missiles and other unconventional tactics helped the country in defeating the BSF.
In 2024, a secretive Ukrainian military intelligence unit conducted an operation to attack the Sergei Kotov warship. The specialized drone used for the strike was called Magura V5. This small motorboat may seem simple at first glance, but when used, it does serious damage.
If shortcomings, including maintenance problems and the loss of regional strongholds, are not addressed, Moscow's presence in the Mediterranean is unlikely to recover anytime soon.
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