Russia left with one 'loser' vessel in Black Sea after Ukraine wipes out Moscow fleet

Ukraine claimed Russia pulled most of its vessels out of the Black Sea (Image: AP)

Russia has removed the majority of vessels capable of firing cruise missiles from Crimea after suffering considerable losses amid continued attacks from Ukraine, the Ukrainian Navy claimed.

Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk told national media that Moscow authorised the removal of most of its remaining fleet except one "loser" vessel.

Captain Pletenchuk said: "Most of the combat units, if you take the carriers of cruise missiles, actually all relocated, except for one."

He reported Russia's Cyclone warship remains stationed in Ukraine but dismissed its capabilities as he noted it "still has not launched a single missile."

While Ukraine's naval capabilities are numerally inferior compared to Russia's, Kyiv has carried out frequent missile and naval drone attacks on Russia's fleet – delivering heavy blows to the Russian Navy despite the difficulties in advancing into occupied territories in recent months.

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Russia's naval fleet experienced considerable losses at the hands of Ukraine in recent months (Image: Getty)

Russian media announced the Cyclone, a Karakurt-class corvette, joined the Black Sea fleet in Crimea in the summer of 2023.

The move came as Ukraine started to intensify its attacks on the fleet, which has since allegedly lost a third of its warships in a heavy blow to Moscow's naval capability.

Pletenchuck last week said that the Ukrainian Navy had destroyed the amphibious landing ship Kostiantyn Olshansky that was resting in dock in Sevastopol.

The ship was part of the Ukrainian navy before Russia captured it while annexing the Black Sea peninsula in 2014.

Pletenchuk has previously announced that two other landing ships of the same type, Azov and Yamal, also were damaged in Saturday's strike along with the Ivan Khurs intelligence ship.

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Challenging Russia’s naval superiority has helped create more favourable conditions for Ukrainian grain exports and other shipments from the country’s Black Sea ports.

Moscow officials have not addressed most of Ukraine's claims, but previous navy losses have been confirmed by Russian military bloggers and media who have harshly criticised the military brass for its slow and sloppy response to the threat.

Last month, Russian media reported that the navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, had been fired and replaced with Adm. Alexander Moiseyev, the commander of Russia's Northern Fleet.

The Kremlin hasn't yet announced the reshuffle, but in mid-March Moiseyev was presented as the new acting navy chief during a ceremony at a Russian naval base.