The Russian navy has significantly reduced its presence of missile-carrying warships in the Black Sea, according to a report from the Ukrainian Navy on the morning of 25 April. As of 06:00, only one Russian ship equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles remains in the Black Sea, with an estimated total volley capacity of up to six missiles. This marks a noticeable decline in the number of Kalibr-equipped ships previously active in the area.
In contrast, four enemy ships have been detected in the Mediterranean Sea, two of which are believed to be armed with Kalibr cruise missiles. The maximum launch capacity of these two vessels is estimated at twelve missiles. No Russian warships were observed in the Sea of Azov at the time of the report.
The Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, saw the movement of multiple vessels under Russian control. According to the Ukrainian Navy, two ships crossed into the Black Sea during the past day, one of which had earlier travelled from the Bosporus Strait. Meanwhile, eight vessels entered the Sea of Azov, with four of them also coming from the Bosporus.
Ukrainian naval officials have raised ongoing concerns about the Kremlin’s disregard for international maritime regulations. Specifically, the Russian military continues to violate the 1974 SOLAS Convention by disabling the automatic identification systems (AIS) on their vessels. This makes ship tracking more difficult and increases the risk of collisions or maritime incidents. The practice also undermines the established principles of safe and transparent navigation in open waters.
Ukrainian authorities are highlighting this behaviour as yet another example of how the Russian Federation continues to abuse maritime laws and pose security threats to civilian vessels in the region. Despite international agreements, Russia has routinely ignored such commitments, escalating tensions in a zone critical to global shipping and Ukrainian defence operations.
Nearly one month earlier, on 25 March, the United States and Ukraine agreed on a framework to support safe navigation in the Black Sea. This includes steps to prevent the militarisation of commercial vessels and to avoid any escalation through direct military engagements.
