Russia has withdrawn most of its Black Sea fleet from its main base in occupied Crimea, in a strong sign that Ukrainian missile and drone strikes are challenging Moscow's hold on the peninsula.
Russia has moved powerful ships, including three attack submarines and two frigates, from Sevastopol to other ports in Russia and Crimea that offer better protection, according to Western officials and satellite images verified by naval experts. The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The move represents a major setback for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, whose 2014 military occupation of Crimea was the first shot in his attempt to control Ukraine. His full-scale invasion last year has now backfired, forcing ships out of a port first claimed by Russia in 1783 under Catherine the Great.
The Russian withdrawal from Sevastopol follows a series of attacks by Ukraine in recent weeks that have severely damaged Russian ships and fleet headquarters.