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Black Sea Fleet sleeve ensign.

The Black Sea Fleet (Russian: Черноморский Флот) is a large sub-unit of the Russian (and formerly Soviet) Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of Black Sea and Sea of Azov coast.

Black Sea Fleet before the Crimean War.

The Black Sea Fleet is considered to be founded by Prince Potemkin on May 13, 1783, together with its principal base, the city of Sevastopol. Formerly commanded by such legendary admirals as Dmitry Senyavin and Pavel Nakhimov, it is a fleet of enormous historical and political importance for Russia. However, its military importance is degrading since the collapse of the Soviet Union, mainly due to significant funding cuts.

Earlier, Turkey's decision to join NATO (putting the Bosporus Strait under Western control) and invention of long-range nuclear weapons have dramatically decreased the strategic value of any naval activity in the Black Sea. The fleet has been free of nuclear weapons since the early 1990s. The aviation, marines and landing vessels of Black Sea fleet took part in the First Chechen War by means of both auxiliary support and direct involvement.

However, recent local conflicts in the Caucasus region (particularly in Georgia) and the development of oil transit in the region are forcing Russia to support the fleet as much as possible.

Monument to Heroes of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet Squadron 1941-1944 in Sevastopol, featuring the list of 28 military ships that distinguished themselves in battles with Nazi invaders.

In 1992, the major part of the personnel, armaments and coastal facilities of the Fleet fell under formal jurisdiction of the newly-independent Ukraine as they were situated on the Ukrainian territory. Later the Ukrainian government ordered the establishment of its own Ukrainian Navy based on the Black Sea Fleet; several ships and ground formations declared themselves Ukrainian.

However, this immediately led to conflicts with the majority of officers who appeared to be loyal to Russia. Simultaneously, pro-Russian separatist groups became active in the local politics of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol municipality where the major naval bases were situated, and started coordinating their efforts with pro-Moscow seamen.

To ease the tensions, the two governments signed an interim treaty, establishing a joint Russo-Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet under bilateral command (and Soviet Navy flag) until a full-scale partition agreement could be reached. Formally, the Fleet's Commander was to be appointed by a joint order of the two countries' Presidents. However, Russia still dominated the Fleet unofficially, and only Russian admirals were appointed as Commanders; the majority of the personnel adopted Russian citizenship. Minor tensions between the Fleet and the new Ukrainian Navy (such as electricity cut-offs and sailors' street-fighting) continued.

Some major ships (including the flagship) of the Soviet and Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, August 2007.

In 1997, Russia and Ukraine signed the Partition Treaty, establishing two independent national fleets and dividing armaments and bases between them.^[1] Ukraine also agreed to lease major parts of its new bases to the Russian Black Sea Fleet until 2017. However, the treaty appeared to be far from perfect: permanent tensions on the lease details (mostly regarding lighthouses) continue to this day. The Fleet's main base is still situated in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol. However, Ukraine has declared that the lease will not be extended and that the fleet will have to leave Sevastopol by 2017.

The newly-independent Republic of Georgia, which also hosted several bases of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, also claimed a share of the Fleet, including 32 naval vessels formerly stationed at Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti. Not a CIS member at that time, Georgia was not, however, included in the initial negotiations in January 1992. Additionally, some low-importance bases situated in the Russian-backed breakaway autonomy of Abkhazia soon escaped any Georgian control. In 1996, Georgia resumed its demands, and the Russian refusal to allot Georgia a portion of the ex-Soviet navy became another bone of contention in the progressively deteriorating Georgian-Russian relations. This time, Ukraine endorsed Tbilisi's claims, turning over several patrol boats to the Georgian Navy and starting to train Georgian crews, but was unable to include in the final fleet deal a transfer of the formerly Poti-based vessels to Georgia.^[2] Later, the rest of the Georgian share was decided to be ceded to Russia in return for diminution of debt.

As a consequence of Ukraine announcing that the lease of Russian naval bases on Crimea will not be extended beyond 2017, the Russian Black Fleet is building a new base in Novorossiysk. In July 2007, the Navy Commander announced that the new base will be ready in 2012.^[3]

• 872nd Independent Anti-submarine Helicopter Regiment - HQ at Kacha - Ka-27;
• 917th Independent Composite Air Regiment - HQ at Kacha - An-2, An-12, An-26, Be-12, Mi-8;
• 43rd Independent Naval Shturmovik (Assault) Air Squadron - HQ at Gvardeyskoye - Su-24;

• Russian battleship Potemkin — possibly the most famous Black Sea Fleet ship.
• Crimean anti-NATO protests of 2006

• Simonsen, Sven Gunnar (June 2000). ""You take your oath only once:" Crimea, The Black Sea Fleet, and national identity among Russian officers". Nationalities Papers 28 (2): 289-316. 

• Russia - Ukraine Lease agreement)
• Unofficial site (English version)
• History of the Black Sea Fleet during WWII (in Russian)
• Narodny Oglyadach reports on morale situation in Russian naval base in Sevastopol

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