Retired captain tells how cunningly Russia divided the Black Sea Fleet with Ukraine in 1991

Ukraine did not receive a single first-rank ship, while the Russian Federation received 6 such ships.

During the division of the Black Sea Fleet (BSF) of the former USSR in 1991, which numbered 883 ships, Ukraine received only 137 ships, while Russia received as many as 388. This was stated in an interview with Ukrainian Radio by retired captain of the first rank, researcher at the National Military History Museum of Ukraine Volodymyr Zablotsky.

According to him, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation’s imperial views did not go anywhere, and Ukraine then only restored its statehood and had no opportunities to put pressure on its partner in negotiations.

“Russia has retained all its military apparatus, experience and ambitions to remain an empire. And for this, the necessary military means were needed. The basing of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine ensured the preservation of Russia’s ambitions in the Black Sea as a whole, in the Caucasus and the Middle East,” he noted.

At that time, says Zablotsky, a military operation was being prepared in Syria, the goal of which was to prevent the construction of “a gas pipeline from Qatar through Syria and Turkey to Europe that would be deadly for Gazprom.”

“There was a civil war in Syria, and Russia sided with Assad (Bashar Assad is the former Syrian dictator, – ed.). The Black Sea Fleet was needed for this. Let’s remember Russia’s operations in the Caucasus, in Abkhazia, the aggression against Georgia in general. These are all ships of the Black Sea Fleet, and they had nowhere to base themselves,” the retired captain claims.

Only 500 ships out of 883 were presented for division.

He noted that Novorossiysk is a commercial port where there are no conditions for 24-hour basing throughout the year, and Sevastopol is also a strategic aviation base that controlled the Mediterranean Sea.

“Not 883 ships were presented for division, but only over 500 ships, of which Ukraine received only 137, and Russia – 388. At the same time, Ukraine did not receive a single first-rank ship. Instead, the Russian Federation received 6 such ships,” Zablotskyi said.

According to him, Russia was dragging out the division process, and while everything was under the control of Russian admirals, the ships began to be written off.

“These were obsolete ships that had been standing at the piers for the last 10 years of the USSR’s existence. 263 ships were decommissioned from August 1992 to May 1997. This process was managed by the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. Another 95 ships were withdrawn from the Black Sea Fleet and transferred to the Baltic, the North, etc.,” he recalled.

Russia wanted Ukraine to get as few ships as possible

Zablotsky says that the Russian Federation deliberately did this so that as few ships as possible would be divided and go to Ukraine.

“At the same time, the distribution of naval aviation and property of the Black Sea Fleet continued. 24 garrisons, 572 military camps and 10,850 various structures used by the Black Sea Fleet servicemen. Gradually, reasons for reducing the number of ships were artificially created, for example, Ukraine’s gas debt to Russia. Russia knew how to do it, and our corrupt politicians were led to do it,” the expert says.

He noted that Ukraine signed relevant agreements, received gas and did not receive a single penny for basing the Black Sea Fleet. In the end, Ukraine received 137 ships, and Russia – 388.

(C)UNIAN 2025