H I Sutton, a submarine analyst who specializes in the use of marine mammal pens, told NBC News at the time that dolphins were “the most obvious type of mammal” being used to protect the naval base.
He added that these were most likely the same pens that Russia deployed to Tartus in Syria in 2018, where dolphins were used to counter enemy divers, retrieve objects from the sea floor, and perform intelligence operations.
Earlier this month, Sutton also concluded that Russia had doubled the trained dolphins defending Sevastopol, as “part of a gradual tightening of defenses in response to Ukraine’s growing ability to reach the strategic city.”
But other military experts said it was hard to assess with certainty how Russia might be using the animals there.
Sevastopol has a relatively small harbor entrance, which could be secured by active sonar, according to Andrew Lambert, a professor of naval history at King’s College London.
“If there are more pens, the Russians may be increasing training numbers,” Lambert said.
However, Neil Melvin, the director of international security studies at the London based Royal United Services Institute think tank, said it was hard to tell what the Russians were using the animals for.
“If I was to speculate, it would be that they are hoping that they can assist them with identifying maritime drone attacks, which the Ukrainians have been using against the Black Sea fleet or may be to spot sea mines,” he said.
Containing the Russian Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol through drone attacks is one of the main aims for Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive as it would stop Moscow from using its ships to launch missile strikes from the Black Sea against Ukrainian targets, he added.
Earlier in the war, Crimea was touted as a major red line by the Kremlin, but Russian military installations and bases on the peninsula have come under regular attacks in recent months and naval drones have targeted the Black Sea fleet stationed in Sevastopol and forced the Russians to tighten their defenses there, the fleet’s commander Vice-Admiral Viktor Sokolov, was quoted as saying by state media.
The peninsula is an important supply route for Russian troops in the southeast of the country, where the Ukrainian army has been trying to break Russian defense lines.
Moscow has blamed Kyiv for trying to sabotage its defenses on Crimea. But Ukraine has never acknowledged its involvement in attacks on the peninsula, although it has openly declared its intention to reclaim it.
And earlier this week, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the country’s navy, told Ukrainian TV that Russians do not feel safe in Crimea and are forced to constantly redeploy their Black Sea Fleet ships. NBC News cannot independently verify this claim.
The British assessment earlier this week also said Moscow’s “elaborate” defenses deep in rear areas, especially on the approaches to Crimea, highlighted the Russian command’s assessment that “Ukrainian forces are capable of directly assaulting Crimea.”
Artem Grudinin contributed.
