Russian sailors intended to scuttle Russian Black Sea Fleet to prevent capture by Germans according to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf dated 30 May 1918

An item referred to the Wiener Fremdenblatt which reported that in the harbour of Novorossisysk the part of the Russian Black Sea fleet was lying which fled from Sevastopol. Ukraine and consisted of 2 large battleships, 9 torpedo boats and 10 steamships. In a meeting of sailors was decided to scuttle all ships before the Germans could capture these.