The new leadership of the Black Sea Fleet, taking into account the successes of Ukrainian forces in the use of naval drones, strives to increase the chances of their ships to survive - additional defensive measures are being taken, including narrowing the passages to port facilities, British intelligence notes.

"Recent imagery analysis has identified four barges positioned at the entrance to the Black Sea Fleet facility of Novorossiysk Sea Port. This is an effort to enhance the defenses of the port against attacks from Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels," says a report published on Sunday on the social network X of the British Ministry of Defence.

As British intelligence experts note, due to the increased risk of Ukrainian attacks on the traditional home port of Sevastopol, the Novorossiysk port now plays a vital role in sheltering the most valuable objects of the Black Sea Fleet.

"The former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, was replaced following Ukrainan successes in the use of USVs against Russian targets both at sea and in port. His replacement, Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, has likely sought to improve the survival chances of Russian vessels by adopting further preventative and defensive measures, including narrowing the entrance gap to port facilities," the message said.