Russian Forces Hold Cadet Graduation in Underground Balaklava Museum Amid Drone and Missile Fears

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, together with the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, took part in the 76th graduation of officers, midshipmen, and warrant officers of the Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval School.

He reported this on his Telegram account.

The event took place on the grounds of the underground submarine base in Balaklava, also known as Facility 825 GTS.

The official reason given by the occupation administration for holding the graduation ceremony on June 20 at Facility 825 GTS is its “historical significance,” although it is evident that the real reason was a series of successful strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on enemy targets in occupied Sevastopol.

Facility 825

Facility 825 was built during the Cold War between 1953 and 1961. It was designed to shelter, repair, and service submarines of Projects 613 and 633, as well as to store ammunition intended for these submarines.

The facility also included a repair and technical base (Facility 820), which was intended for the storage and maintenance of nuclear weapons. After the collapse of the USSR, the site was no longer used for military purposes, and on December 30, 2002, the former military facility was converted into a museum. In 2014, it was seized by Russian forces.

Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval School

The school was founded in 1937 and named after Admiral Nakhimov in 1952. From 1937 to 1992, it trained more than 16,000 officers, including 76 who later became admirals and generals.

At the Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval School, students were trained in navigation, artillery, mine-torpedo, missile, and anti-submarine disciplines.

In 1992, after the collapse of the USSR, the Naval Forces Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Nakhimov was established on its site. In 2009, a naval military lyceum was opened in Sevastopol on the basis of the educational institution.

From 2013 to 2014, the acting head of the Academy was Rear Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa, the current Commander of the Ukrainian Naval Forces.

On March 21, 2014, cadets of the Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol demonstrated loyalty to the Ukrainian oath, refusing to obey the Russian invaders. During the forced raising of the Russian flag, they stood at attention and sang the Ukrainian national anthem.

The Naval Forces Academy was disbanded in 2014 following the occupation of Crimea, and in its place the Russian authorities re-established the Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval School.