Russia has pulled its military vessels from the Sea of Azov following a Ukrainian strike on the Russian ferry "Slavyanin" at the "Kavkaz" port in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
This was reported by Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, during a television marathon.
Pletenchuk noted that in the Black Sea, there is now one submarine of Project 136, indicating a shift towards maintaining a presence in the Black Sea with submarines. For over a week, there had been no surface ships, although a complete withdrawal from the Black Sea is not feasible for Russia.
He also mentioned that there are no Russian military ships currently in the Sea of Azov. Previously, these ships could have been based in the Sea of Azov or occasionally entered areas such as the Taganrog Bay.
"They decided to leave the Sea of Azov primarily due to the damage to the railway ferry. They looked at the map and compass and decided it was probably unsafe to stay there. The only language our enemy understands is the language of force," added Pletenchuk.
On July 23, Ukrainian forces attacked the "Slavyanin" ferry in the Russian port of "Kavkaz" in Krasnodar Krai. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the ferry sustained significant damage.
It is known that "Slavyanin" was the last railway ferry in Krasnodar Krai, used for transporting railway cars, vehicles, and containers for military purposes.