The Russian navy in problems according to the Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland evening edition dated 2 December 1941

This Dutch newspaper republished an news item written by the Militärische Korrespondenz aus Deutschland dealing with the so-called hopeless situation of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This fleet consisted of 2 new cruisers and one older cruiser, 1 aged battleship, 21 new and 6 old destroyers, around 50 submarines and a similar number of MTBs. From such a naval strength was more to be expected even a decisive action. However her losses had been severe while one flotilla leader, 2 destroyers and a training vessel were destroyed and 3 cruisers and a destroyer heavily damaged. Within short time were more powerful actions from the German and the Romanian navies to be expected while due to the German air force the Caucasian harbours were more and more unable to supply a safe site.