The basis for implementing the Black Sea doctrine is the liberation of Crimea and the demilitarization of the Black Sea region from Russian armed forces.
This was stated by former Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Illia Pavlenko, during a roundtable organized by the Institute of Global Politics.
“The key to implementing the Black Sea doctrine today lies in the de-occupation of Crimea and the demilitarization of the entire Black Sea basin from the Russian military presence,” said the former deputy head of Intelligence Agency.
He added that currently “the Main Intelligence Directorate is taking active measures to enhance Ukraine’s agency in ensuring security in this region.”
“The liberation of Snake Island and the so-called Boyko rigs, the sinking of the cruiser Moskva — after which the Russian fleet in the Black Sea effectively turned into a flotilla — all these are points in a holistic process of implementing Black Sea support aimed at creating a secure environment throughout the entire Black Sea region,” Pavlenko noted.
He added that in the first stage, one of the main tasks of Ukrainian operations in the Black Sea waters was to create a safe corridor for the passage of commercial vessels, which allowed unlocking markets in Africa and the Middle East for agricultural exports.
The objectives of the combat units evolved along with the changing overall strategic picture. Initially, the main goal was to prevent the landing of enemy forces on Ukrainian shores. Then it shifted to reducing the capability of Russian occupying forces to control the waters.
“The latest stage of the battle for the Black Sea is pushing the Russian fleet far from the Ukrainian coast and forcing it to abandon the concept of ‘Sevastopol as the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet,’” said Pavlenko.
He reminded that a third of the Russian Black Sea ships and one submarine have already been destroyed.
Also read: Former Deputy Head of Intelligence Agency commented on special operations behind Russia’s lines.
“Currently, the main threat to Ukrainian and foreign vessels in the Black Sea waters is not the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, but the chaotic mining operations carried out by Russia,” noted the former deputy head of military intelligence.
