Ukraine Achieves Big Breakthrough Due to Success Against Russian Navy

Ukraine's successful suppression of the Russian Black Sea fleet has resulted in Kyiv's grain exports rising to their highest levels since the invasion by Moscow began.

An intelligence update shared to X, formerly Twitter, by the British Ministry of Defence on Monday argued that the success was "almost certainly" due to the establishment of an effective Black Sea shipping route, despite the ongoing war. Kyiv's drone and missile attacks have seen major success in attacking targets in occupied Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Ukraine is one of world's biggest suppliers of crops that include sunflower oil, barley, maize and wheat. The U.K. ministry said that exports in December surpassed levels achieved during the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement between Kyiv, Russia and Turkey that was brokered by the United Nations (UN) and in effect between July 2022 and July 2023.

"Ukraine's ports exported more agricultural products in December 2023 than at any other point since Russia's invasion, almost certainly driven by the reopening of Ukraine's main Black Sea ports and establishment of a unilateral shipping export channel," the update read. "[Ukraine] has largely prevented the Russian Black Sea Fleet from operating in the western Black Sea.

"The health of this export route is vital in the long term: both for Ukraine's export revenue; and as a symbol that both sides are willing to suspend attacks on civilian shipping, paving the way to diminished risk and greater trade for all in the Black Sea," it continues.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the Russian Ministry of Defense via email on Monday.

Russia's Black Sea fleet flagship Moskva was destroyed by Ukraine in the early days of the war. The losses have continued since then, with British Defence Secretary Grant Shapp saying last month that Russia had lost 20 percent of its Black Sea fleet over the course of four months.

Significant recent losses include the December destruction of large Russian landing ship Novocherkassk and last week's revelation that Ukrainian drones sank a Tarantul-class corvette warship during the same month. A September 2023 missile attack on Russia's Black Sea fleet headquarters in Sevastopol also reportedly resulted in significant damage and casualties.

Experts close to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense told Newsweek in September that Kyiv's effort to "demilitarize" the Black Sea fleet was part of a larger strategy that aims to eventually retake the Crimean peninsula.

Ukraine's success in exporting through a Black Sea corridor has been something of a surprise following predictions that the ending of the Black Sea Grain Initiative would have disastrous consequences. However, there have been signs that the deal could be resurrected, with Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey saying last week that "certain negotiations" had begun, according to Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of exploiting the grain deal while defending the Kremlin's decision to terminate the agreement in July. He argued that there was "no longer any use in continuing the 'grain deal,' as it has failed to serve its original humanitarian purpose" and said that Moscow was "capable of replacing the Ukrainian grain" itself.