The source claimed that "The purpose of the Black Sea Fleet vessels' presence in this region is to provide aid to refugees".

[11] However, this was disproven as both the Tbilisi and Dioskuria, the only two missile boats of the Georgian Navy, were mined and scuttled by Russian troops in the port of Poti, several days after the incident.

While the distance between Sevastopol and Ochamchire is about 400 nautical miles, the Russian convoy (including Moskva, Smetlivy, Muromets, and Aleksandrovets) departed the base with a company of crafts with a top speed of 12-16 knots.

[9] Some analysts even suggested that the Black Sea Fleet, for which this was first activity since 1945, had probably departed from Sevastopol before full-scale hostilities between Russia and Georgia began.

[17][18][19] According to Interfax news agency citing Russian navy source, the blockading units "were assigned the task to not allow arms and military hardware supplies to reach Georgia by sea.

[26] Ukrainian authorities declared on 11 August 2008 that they were willing to discuss the readmittance of ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet to Crimea.

[30] On 16 August 2008, Ukrainian media reported that ships of the Russian fleet could not return to Sevastopol because they had sustained damage.

[33] In December 2009, it was reported that Russian cruiser Moskva needed repair mostly due to the damages caused by 2008 war.

[36] Ukrainian naval officer and journalist Miroslav Mamchak stated in September 2008 that the Russian fleet had lost 8 sailors near the Georgian coast.

[38] Ukrainian source published in 2017 stated that the Russian Mirazh had indeed attacked motor vessel near the Georgian coast in August 2008, which actually was Lotos-1 bearing Moldovan flag.