The Russian Black Sea Fleet according to the Dutch newspaper Limburgsch Dagblad dated 6 August 1942

According to a tiding from Berlin was the Russian Soviet Black Sea Fleet despite her superiority regarded her material forced to retreat towards Novorossik and Batoem due to the loss of her relays caused by the German invasion. Both towns possessed just small yards. According to German military opinions was the one who possessed the mainland the real ruler over the Black Sea. If the last Soviet relays were captured had her fleet just 3 options, to scuttle her ships, to capitulate or to allowed that the ships were interned. Although the land operations were of vital importance the German, Romanian and Croatian naval forces had also to act. Before the war broke out consisted the Black Sea fleet of the in 1911 build battleship Parisjskaja Kommuna, 3 heavy cruisers including the two modern Molotof and Worosjilof, 3 aged light cruisers, 19 partly very modern and fast destroyers and around 40 submarines. On stocks was a quite large number of warships included a 35.000 ton battleship and two heavy 8.000 ton cruisers and there was a strong air force available.