NATO-supplied missiles leave Russian Askold in tatters

The Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Army has suffered another significant loss. The missile corvette Askold, still nearly brand-new, is now effectively incapacitated. Materials illustrating the extent of the damage leave no doubt that the ship has been almost utterly destroyed. This can only have been done with the potent weapon supplied to Ukraine by a NATO country, namely the SCALP-EG manoeuvring missiles. Here, we explain their capabilities.

The Ukrainian portal Defence Express, which focuses on military issues, has extolled the fact that, despite still remaining afloat, the ship is critically damaged. Additionally, it highlighted that Ukraine is the first country in history to destroy an adversary's missile ship before it was even commissioned, with operations beginning in December.

"The ship hadn't even set sail, or participated in any combat operations - it was in the final phase of testing in order to fight against our state," divulged Yuri Ihnat, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force.

The SCALP-EG, also known as Storm Shadow, enables strikes on targets up to approximately 310 miles away. Each missile measures over 16 feet and weighs around 2866 lbs, with the BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge) warhead accounting for 992 lbs of it. Further, these missiles incorporate an advanced inertial and satellite navigation system.

The SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow missiles were singled out as a game-changer in warfare even before landing in Ukraine. Their efficaciousness was swiftly proven. They were deployed in attacking the Chongar Bridge and bombing the Sevastopol shipyard, where other Russian units, including a submarine and a project 775 (Ropucha) landing ship, were decimated.

This instance saw the Ukrainians striking the central hull of the Russian ship, a harsh setback as this section contains the launchers for the Calibre manoeuvring missiles. A direct hit implies the main weapons system of this ship has been decimated. Former UK Defense Minister, Ben Wallace, once remarked that this is a weapon that hits Russian targets "almost impeccably".

There's a likelihood that the Russians will need to overhaul the majority of the on-board command and control equipment located on the bridge. Some observers believe that as a result of the assault, the propulsion of the Russian unit was also compromised.

Ukrainian media underscore that the Russians are unlikely to complacently accept the loss of a new missile corvette, which was supposed to bolster the Black Sea Fleet, just now reeling from significant losses. They could announce their intention to reconstruct the ship, even if that ultimately proves infeasible.

The Askold is a missile corvette from the 22800 Karakurt project. This type of ship boasts a length of approximately 230 feet, a maximum speed of up to 30 knots (about 35 mph), and is well-equipped with state-of-the-art electronic systems and extensive armament. It's not only outfitted with the aforementioned Calibre manoeuvring missiles capable of over 1243 miles range, but also the CIWS (Close-In Weapon System), a 76mm naval gun, and machine guns. Russians also attach drone launchers such as the Orlan-10 on this type of ship.