Ukrainian Navy spokesman assesses Russian naval power

He stated this on Espreso TV.

"They have four fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, so technically they now have three fleets and two flotillas. The Black Sea Fleet, which does not have a first-rate ship, is also technically considered a flotilla. They are supposedly fulfilling the state order, but how well they are fulfilling it and with what delay is another question.

One of the two nuclear-powered cruisers they have as the flagship of the Russian Federation's navy has the same design. One was supposed to be decommissioned last year, and the other has been undergoing repairs for 25 years, in roughly the same condition as the Admiral Kuznetsov. They have a similar aircraft carrier, which they stole from Ukraine in the 90s. It returned from its tour and has basically remained inactive since then. Therefore, there are no prospects, no development – this is the main point," Pletenchuk emphasized.

According to him, Romania, which does not call itself a superstate, builds ships openly. Similarly, Scotland is transparent about its shipbuilding because it is funded by taxpayers' money.

"In contrast, there is a lot of grandstanding in Russia. This year, they noted this, and the Russian dictator Putin promised to commission nearly two dozen ships. However, they have a habit of making grand promises," summarized the spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy.

• Ukrainian forces damaged or destroyed 28 ships of the Russian Navy operating in the Black Sea region between February 2022 and July 2024.