Russia Cancels Military Exercises in the Black Sea Amid Ukrainian Attacks, British Intelligence Reports

In September, Russia conducted its first naval exercises in two years but refrained from holding them in the Black Sea, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

From September 10 to 16, the Russian Navy executed extensive strategic exercises known as “Okean-24,” marking a return to naval drills following a two-year hiatus. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia conducted annual exercises involving all branches of its armed forces, but these were suspended due to ongoing war.

British intelligence assesses that the “Okean-24” exercises were an attempt by Russia to showcase its military capabilities amid the war. Russian media reported that over 400 ships, 120 aircraft, 7,000 vehicles, and 90,000 personnel participated in the exercises, which took place in the Barents, Baltic, Mediterranean, and Caspian Seas, as well as the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

However, the UK Ministry of Defence believes these figures are significantly exaggerated, estimating that only about 300 ships are currently operational and ready for such drills. Notably, there was no activity related to “Okean-24” in the Black Sea, likely due to Ukrainian strikes in the initial months of 2024.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia has lost 28 military ships, including one submarine, since the onset of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have reduced Russia’s naval presence in the Black and Azov Seas through the use of marine drones and domestically produced firepower. One notable instance occurred in April 2022 when Ukrainian military forces sank the missile cruiser “Moskva,” the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

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