I just read to article to see how the fact that marine engines came from Ukraine was an issue. Seems that Russia does not have engines for ships larger than 4000 tons displacement . Since Crimea (2014) Ukraine has refused to sell them the larger engines.. In addition the article, which is undated says:
“Many, including one Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate—it’s not clear which—were moored in Sevastopol as recently as Thursday. When the warships do sail from Crimea, they tend to stay 100 miles or so from the Ukrainian coast, potentially keeping them beyond the range of Kyiv’s Neptunes [which another comment at this post says may be 175 nm.
Keeping at a safe distance meant the frigates apparently were in no position to help when the Ukrainian navy last week mounted a furious drone assault on the Russian garrison on Snake Island. The tiny hunk of rock, 25 miles off the coast of southwestern Ukraine, helped Kyiv assert some control over the western Black Sea—until the Russians captured it on the first full day of the current war on Feb. 24.
Ukrainian TB-2 drones knocked out Russian air-defenses on the island then went hunting deeper at sea. On Monday, a TB-2 struck two Russian Raptor-class patrol boats with laser-guided missiles, heavily damaging if not destroying both of the 55-foot boats as they motored toward Snake Island.
Without the protection of a frigate, the Raptors were sitting ducks. In that sense, sinking Moskva—and scaring off the rest of the Black Sea Fleet’s major combatants—was as good as sinking the frigates, too. It doesn’t matter that Russia still has three powerful warships in the Black Sea if those ships can’t, or won’t, risk approaching the Ukrainian coast.
Still, the Ukrainians undoubtedly would love to get a shot at Admiral Makarov and her sisters. On Thursday there were rumors they’d landed a blow with a Neptune and the frigate was on fire. There was no immediate evidence to back up the rumors.” Probably written yesterday.
Some thoughts I have. A week ago there was talk about Russia joining up with pro Russia troops in Transdinistria (a thin sliver of land between Moldova and western Ukraine). A Ukraine attack and perhaps repossesion of Snake Island, 25 miles off the coast near Odessa would cause a serious crimp in Russian plans for a coastal landing to reach these allies. Further sinking or crippling of Russian marine forces is an additional discouragement. Russian ships are currently staying 100 miles away from Ukraine held coast to avoid missiles. So long as Ukraine can hold on to Odessa, it appears Russia cannot do an end run to Moldova. This should also cause Hungary to think twice about interfering.
Nice details.
They have that problem, where getting close enough to shoot, means getting close enough to get shot.
The war may be transitioning into a period of grinding stalemate on a few fronts, including Naval operations.