Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Just blocking the entrance denies the harbour to the Russians but not to the Ukrainians (unless they actually sink a ship in the mouth of the harbour)
T-boning a tanker or cargo ship inside the harbour creates a mess in harbour and denies the Russians both the ship and cargo. Evan a relatively small tanker full of water could probably clean out the nets and still T-bone a ship.
The hit on Russian morale would be massive.
If the Russians are forced out of the port they will probably destroy it as they retreat (my opinion).Pretty hard to damage it so much that Russians cannot use but Ukrainians still can. Attack the assets, leave the port intact, and keep the Russians afraid to use it.
Sunken blockships will not allow Ukrainians in but ones that are remote controlled, anchored fore and aft and side by side in the harbour mouth and can be moved would. Putting booby traps on to keep live Russians off would mean only the Ukrainians or tugs could move them and I am sure the Ukrainians could fix that problem with drones if this was part of a full scale assault. Or they could have a small crew with RPGs or whatever to keep the Russians away for the short time it takes for the Ukrainians to get a large force ashore elsewhere should mean they can be towed or sailed out within a day or two. Putting out the word that they are full of ammonium nitrate soaked in diesel and that they will be detonated as a last resort would make the Russians VERY cautious.Not sure why blockships would allow Ukrainian ships through while blocking Russian ships. Care to elucidate?
Doing that with a tanker loaded with fireworks up front, rockets in the middle, and an escape-capsule in the back ... You're gonna need a larger blockship, or three.
Sure. I like the hit it's taking right now, m'self. I also think sailing a clumsy ship up into the harbor is really asking sailors to die for no good reason. And what would that achieve? Blocking a harbor already rendered untenable by air and sea drone-strikes?
Skip taking the port, land on the beaches, surround and besiege Sevastopol while taking more territory on Crimea.If the Russians are forced out of the port they will probably destroy it as they retreat (my opinion).