OREANDA-NEWS The ships of the Ukrainian Naval Forces remaining in Sevastopol will not be transferred to the Black Sea Fleet, but will be disposed of, a source in the Crimean law enforcement agencies told RIA Novosti.

"The decision was made not to transfer these ships to Ukraine, but to cut them, but the recycling process for individual ships has been suspended due to the need to ensure the safety of our ships," the agency interlocutor said.

In 2014, after the reunification of Crimea with Russia, the Navy left about 20 ships on the peninsula, including the Konstantin Olshansky BDK, the Ternopil, Lutsk corvettes, the Slavutich control ship and others. Until 2023, these ships were under guard in Sevastopol.

Before the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia, the Navy consisted of about 40 warships and support vessels. Many of them, due to lack of funds, did not undergo the necessary repairs, and they were cut into scrap metal.

In 2014, Russia managed to transfer some of the remaining Navy ships in Crimea to Ukraine. The process was suspended due to Kiev's refusal to accept them, since, according to the Ukrainian side, this would be recognition of the Russian status of the peninsula. Then Moscow stopped the transfer due to Ukraine's aggression against the republics of Donbass.