The city of Sevastopol was for decades a closed city to foreign visitors.
SVT’s Henrik Silver and photographer Sergion Albornoz applied for permission to visit the naval base in the summer of 1993, but received a negative message.
A Ukrainian officer then smuggled the team into a van so they could film the Russian and Ukrainian ships.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, a verbal dispute erupted between Russia and Ukraine over how the large number of warships should be distributed between the countries. The once proud Black Sea Fleet had fallen into disrepair, maintenance was needed and there was a lack of fuel.
When Russia recognized Ukraine’s sovereign borders, Moscow demanded to keep its navy in Sevastopol. 17 years later, the countries agreed that Russia would be allowed to lease the port until 2042.
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