Russian missile destroyer heads to Mediterranean amid tensions

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that the missile destroyer "Marshal Shaposhnikov" sailed through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea as part of planned exercises, as reported by Reuters. This movement is closely linked to the unfolding events in the Middle East.

"The crew of the ship is successfully executing the assigned tasks. In the Mediterranean Sea, the frigate is operating according to a pre-established combat exercise plan," the Ministry stated in its communiqué.

The missile destroyer "Marshal Shaposhnikov," a component of the Russian Pacific Fleet, has entered the Mediterranean, which may be related to the rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

The destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, identified among the Russian naval units, is notably older and smaller than its Chinese counterparts. Launched in 1984, this Udaloy-class destroyer measures 535 feet in length and has a displacement of approximately 8,300 tons.

Designed primarily for submarine warfare, its armament reflects this focus. The ship has two 100-mm guns and features artillery and missile anti-aircraft systems. Until a recent upgrade, its main armament included depth charge launchers and RBU-6000 Smerch-2 anti-submarine rocket launchers.

Modifying these missile projectiles, originally based on the anti-ship P-120 Malachit system, allows for delivering the universal UGMT-1 torpedo, which carries a 408-pound warhead and can strike targets up to 56 miles away.

Recent modernizations have installed 12 vertical launch systems aboard the destroyer, enabling the launch of Kalibr, Onyx, or Zircon missiles.