Black Sea Fleet
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The Black Sea Fleet is a large sub-unit of the Russian (and formerly Soviet) Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbours of Black Sea and Sea of Azov coast.
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[edit] History
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[edit] Early history
The Black Sea Fleet is considered to be founded by Prince Potemkin on May 13, 1783, together with its principal base, Sevastopol. Formerly commanded by such legendary[citation needed] admirals as Dmitry Senyavin and Pavel Nakhimov, it is a fleet of enormous historical and political importance for Russia. However, its military importance is degrading since the collapse of the Soviet Union, mainly due to significant funding cuts.
Earlier, Turkey's decision to join NATO (putting the Bosporus Strait under Western control) and invention of long-range nuclear weapons have dramatically decreased the strategic value of any naval activity in the Black Sea. The fleet has been free of nuclear weapons since the early 1990s.
However, recent local conflicts in the Caucasus region (particularly in Georgia) and the development of oil transit in the region are forcing Russia to support the fleet as much as possible.
The aviation, marines and landing vessels of Black Sea fleet took part in the First Chechen War by means of both auxiliary support and direct involvement.
[edit] Partition of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet
In 1992, the most part of personnel, armament and coast facilities of the Fleet felt under formal jurisdiction of the newly-independent Ukraine because situated on the Ukrainian territory. Later Ukrainian government ordered establishment of its own Ukrainian Navy on the basis of the Black Sea Fleet; several ships and ground formations declared themselves Ukrainian.
However, this immediately lead to conflicts with the majority of officers who appeared to be loyal to Russia. Simultaneously, pro-Russian separatist groups became active in the local politics of the Ukraine's Crimean autonomy and Sevastopol municipality where the major naval bases were situated, and started coordinating their efforts with pro-Moscow seamen.
[edit] Joint Fleet and its partition
To ease the tentions, two governments signed interim treaty, establishing a joint Russo-Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet under bilateral command (and Soviet Navy flag) until a full-scale partition agreement is reached. Formally, the Fleet's Commander was to be appointed by a joint order of the two countries' Presidents. However, Russia still dominated the Fleet unofficially, and only Russian admirals were appointed as Commanders; the majority of the personnel adopted Russian citizenship. Minor tensions between the Fleet and the new Ukrainian Navy (such as electricity cut-offs and sailors' streetfighting) continued.
In 1997, Russia and Ukraine signed the Partition Treaty, establishing two independent national fleets and dividing the armament and bases between them. Ukraine also agreed to lease major parts of its new bases to the Russian Black Sea Fleet until 2017. However, the treaty appeared to be far from perfect: permanent tensions on the lease details (mostly regarding lighthouses) continue to this day.
The Fleet's main base is still situated in the Ukrainian port city of Sevastopol.
[edit] Georgia in the Fleet partition
Newly-independent Georgia, that also hosted several bases of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, declared its own rights in the partition as well. This issue became less controversial because Russia was reconciled to abandoning bases on Georgian cost from the very beginning of the partition. Additionally, some low-importance bases were situated in the break-away autonomy of Abkhazia and soon ran out of any Georgian control.
As part of the 1997 Russo-Ukrainian partition treaty, the new Georgian Navy received several small ships.
[edit] Recent developments
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Although Novorossiysk has always been regarded as the fleet's second most important base, it has recently been reported that Russia "has started dredging at a Syrian port (specifically, Tartus) where it maintains a logistical supply point with a possible eye to turning it into a full-fledged naval base." [1]
[edit] List of Black Sea Fleet ships
[edit] 30th Surface Warship Division
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 | Guided Missile Cruiser | Moskva | Slava | 1983 |
| 713 | ASW Destroyer | Kerch | Kara | 1974 |
| 707 | ASW Destroyer | Ochakov | Kara | 1973 |
| 810 | ASW Destroyer | Smetlivy | Kashin | 1966 |
| 801 | Guided Missile Frigate | Ladny | Krivak I | 1978 |
| 808 | Guided Missile Frigate | Pitlivy | Krivak II | 1979 |
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 152 | Landing Ship | Nikolay Filchenkov | Alligator | 1975 |
| 148 | Landing Ship | Orsk | Alligator | 1968 |
| 150 | Landing Ship | Saratov | Alligator | 1966 |
| 151 | Landing Ship | Azov | Ropucha-II | ? |
| 142 | Landing Ship | Novocherkassk | Ropucha-I | ? |
| 158 | Landing Ship | Tsezar Kunikov | Ropucha-I | ? |
| 156 | Landing Ship | Yamal | Ropucha-I | ? |
[edit] 247th Submarine Battalion
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 554 | Attack Submarine | Alrosa (ex-B-871) | Kilo | 1990 |
| 572 | Attack Submarine | B-380 (Under Repair) | Tango | 1980 |
[edit] 68th Coastal Defence Warship Brigade
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 059 | ASW Corvette | Alexandrovetc | ? | ? |
| 053 | ASW Corvette | Povorino | ? | ? |
| 071 | ASW Corvette | Suzdaletc | ? | ? |
| 064 | ASW Corvette | Murometc | Grisha III | 1983 |
| 060 | ASW Corvette | Vladimirec | ? | ? |
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 913 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Kovrovetc | Natya | ? |
| 911 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Ivan Golubetc | Natya | ? |
| 912 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Turbinist | Natya | 1972 |
| 909 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Vice Admiral Zhukov | Natya | 1977 |
[edit] 41st Missile Boat Brigade
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 615 | Guided Missile Corvette | Bora | Bora | 1988 |
| 616 | Guided Missile Corvette | Samum | Bora | 1991 |
| 620 | Guided Missile Corvette | Shtil' | Nanuchka-III | 1976 |
| 617 | Guided Missile Corvette | Mirazh | Nanuchka-III | 1983 |
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 966 | Missile Boat | R-44 | Matka Mod | 1978 |
| 955 | Missile Boat | R-60 | Tarantul-III Mod | 1985 |
| 962 | Missile Boat | R-71 | Tarantul-II Mod | 1985 |
| 952 | Missile Boat | R-109 | Tarantul-III | 1991 |
| 953 | Missile Boat | R-239 | Tarantul-III | 1991 |
| 954 | Missile Boat | Ivanovetc | Tarantul-III | 1988 |
[edit] 184th Novorossiysk Coastal Defence Brigade
| # | Type | Name | Class | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 054 | Small Antisubmarine Ship | Eysk | Grisha-III | 1987 |
| 055 | Small Antisubmarine Ship | Kasimov | Grisha-III | 1984 |
| 901 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Zheleznyakov | ? | 1988 |
| 770 | Seagoing Minesweeper | Valentin Pikul' | ? | 2001 |
| 426 | Base Minesweeper | Mineralnie Vodi | ? | 1990 |
| 438 | Base Minesweeper | Leytenant Ilyin | ? | 1982 |
[edit] See also
- Russian battleship Potemkin — possibly the most famous Black Sea Fleet ship ever.
- Crimean anti-NATO protests of 2006
