Every day since the escalation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the U.K. Ministry of Defense publishes its assessment of the situation. On October 2, 2023, it reports a recent Russian attack on Snake Island.
Via the Network X writes the British Ministry of Defense, “In recent weeks, the naval aviation component of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has taken on a particularly important role in the fleet’s operations as it grapples with simultaneous threats on the southern flank of the Ukraine war. Naval aviation emphasizes maritime air patrol missions, the main task of which is most likely the early identification of unmanned surface vessels.” An important Russian tool in these operations is the Bei-12 MAIL amphibious aircraft, developed in the 1950s, which flies from bases in occupied Crimea.
“Su-24 FENCER and FLANKER fighter jets are conducting maritime strikes, including an air assault on strategically important Snake Island. With further naval activity likely to shift to Novorossiysk given the threat to Sevastopol, Russia is seeking to use naval air power to concentrate its forces over the northwestern Black Sea.”
In Russia, the updates from the U.K. Ministry of Defense are seen as propaganda.
Image: Kremlin.ru, Vladimir Putin (2022-09-21), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
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