Russian naval troops boost security amid drone threats

Most of the ships belonging to the Black Sea Fleet have been stationed in the port of Novorossiysk for several weeks. The Russians decided to move there from Sevastopol, which ceased to be a safe place and has systematically become a target of attacks by Ukrainian marine drones and even Storm Shadow cruise missiles supplied by the United Kingdom.

According to the Atesh group report on the Telegram service, Russians also don't feel safe in Novorossiysk. In addition to ships, additional security measures have been observed.

According to the Atesh report, heavy machine gun positions have been established along the coast to safeguard the port against drone strikes. At the same time, ammunition loading observed on the piers signals preparations for future operations.

The Russians may be diligently focusing on security measures, recalling the incidents from 2022, when the Admiral Makarov frigate was attacked and damaged by Ukrainians.

This is one of the newest frigates in the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It is part of Project 11356M (the third in line), whose keel was laid in 2012 and entered service only in 2017. Its displacement exceeds 4,000 tons, and its length is about 410 feet. Admiral Makarov can move at a maximum speed of about 37 mph.

However, from the Ukrainian perspective, the key aspect is the frigate's armament, which allows it to actively participate in the war and shell Ukrainian positions. Admiral Makarov is a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, which, in the 3M14 variant, have a range of up to 930 miles. This type of weapon has been repeatedly used against Ukraine.