Zelenskyy Says Russia Lost Black Sea, Unveils Odesa Naval Academy as 15 Landing Ships Were Destroyed
Updated
Updated · UNITED24 Media · Jul 5
Zelenskyy Says Russia Lost Black Sea, Unveils Odesa Naval Academy as 15 Landing Ships Were Destroyed
3 articles · Updated · UNITED24 Media · Jul 5
Summary
Odesa events marking Ukraine’s Navy Day saw President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declare that Russia has “lost the Black Sea” and announce a new naval academy to train officers for an expanding force.
Footage from his meeting with naval commanders showed Ukraine’s latest official damage tally for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet: 4 of 33 main combat ships destroyed, 15 of 34 landing ships destroyed, and 3 of 23 auxiliary vessels destroyed.
The same board listed 8 main combat ships, 10 landing ships and 9 auxiliary vessels as damaged, offering one of Kyiv’s clearest visual summaries yet of losses inflicted since the full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy tied that shift to Ukraine’s campaign from retaking Snake Island to missile, drone and special operations against Russian ships, ports and military sites in occupied Crimea.
The update comes as partisan group Atesh has reported Russia is reassigning some Black Sea Fleet personnel into new drone warfare units, citing heavy losses and the fleet’s shrinking role.
With its Black Sea Fleet crippled, how might Russia now weaponize its own drone forces against critical European maritime trade routes?
Ukraine's drones have rendered a superpower's fleet useless. Are expensive, traditional warships now obsolete in modern naval warfare?
Ukraine Claims 60% Black Sea Control: How Asymmetric Warfare Crippled Russia’s Fleet and Redefined Regional Security (2026)
Overview
On July 4, 2026, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that Russia had lost the Black Sea, marking a major turning point in the conflict. This announcement highlighted Ukraine’s strategic success at sea and signaled a profound shift in regional power. The Russian Black Sea Fleet suffered unprecedented damage, as confirmed by visual evidence of destroyed and damaged vessels, which severely weakened Russia’s naval presence. Ukraine achieved this by using a diverse mix of naval forces and advanced unmanned systems, effectively overcoming Russia’s initial advantage and reshaping control of the Black Sea.