Russia relocates formidable Black Sea Fleet units to Novorossiysk, cloaking missile arsenal
"The location to which Russia has relocated its most integral units, attempting to safeguard equipment from Ukrainian attacks, is now evident", Unian reports. There are over 20 units flagged under the Russian Federation situated in the port of Novorossiysk, many of which carry equipment capable of wielding Kalibr missiles. The vessels that recently docked at the port include:
8:11 AM EST, December 18, 2023
- two Admiral Grigorovich class frigates,
- three Buyan-M corvettes,
- four 636.3 Warsawianka-type submarines,
- one 22800 Karakurt-type corvette.
The images also indicate the presence of three 22160 project patrol ships (one of which is equipped with the Tor anti-aircraft system), three 775 project (Ropucha) landing ships, one Ivan Gren class ship, and three 266M project minesweepers.
Russians conceal key units in a Black Sea Port
Of the most notable units that have been spotted in the Port of Novorossiysk, those carrying Kalibr missiles are of primary concern. It is these types of vessels that the Ukrainians have consistently raised alarms about due to their extensive missile range.
Some of the vessels gathered in the port are Admiral Grigorovich-class missile frigates. They measure nearly 410 feet long and have a range of up to 5592 miles. Their main weaponry includes a 3M55 Oniks or Kalibr missile launcher (capable of carrying eight missiles). Accommodating infrastructures for two Shtil-1 launchers armed with 9M317M anti-aircraft missiles (capable of carrying 24 missiles) and Igla-1 missile launchers are also in place.
Additionally, the Russians have also assembled a collection of Buyan-M class corvettes at the location, a presence in the Black Sea that the Ukrainians voiced concerns about in November. These vessels are equipped to carry eight Kalibr missiles with an approximate range exceeding 372 miles for 3M54 variant. Buyan-M class corvettes are equipped with 5P-26M1 radar systems and TK-25 electronic warfare systems, capable of covering over 2485 miles at a time when at sea.
Also made apparent on satellite images were four Warsawianka type ships. These were developed as successors to the 677 Lada project, and they are characterized by an unusually low level of noise, making them very hard to detect. The introduction of Kalibr anti-ship missiles to the Warsawianka’s arsenal has considerably increased their usefulness in comparison to older models.
Moreover, @MT_Anderson has underscored the presence of a Karakurt class corvette on the X platform. These vessels have been in production since 2015, can cover a range exceeding 2796 miles, and sustain 15 days at sea without interruption. In addition to the Kalibr missiles, the corvettes also carry supersonic missiles like 9M337 Sosna-R and Hermes-K.
