Russians relocate warship tests to Baltic amid Black Sea threats

Many reports from Russian media or authorities are part of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.

In mid-July, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Naval Forces, Capt. Dmytro Pletenczuk, informed that Russia withdrew its last patrol vessel from Crimea. The decision to move it was prompted by the intensification of Ukrainian attacks in the region, particularly on ships stationed in the Black Sea. The Russians fear not only for the units in service but also those yet to be commissioned.

Defence Romania pointed out TASS reports, according to which the patrol ship project 22160 Viktor Velikiy will be transported from Zelenodolsk to St. Petersburg for completion and state tests. The construction of this ship began on November 25, 2016, at the Zelenodolsk Shipyard. Four sister units of project 22160, which have already been admitted to service in the Black Sea Fleet, were also built here: Vasily Bykov, Dmitry Rogachev, Pavel Derzhavin, and Sergey Kotov.

The last of the mentioned ships sank on the night of March 4-5, 2024, in the Kerch Strait area due to attacks by Magura V5 surface drones. These unmanned vehicles are one of the major challenges for the Russian navy. According to analysts from the Political Science and Security Studies Journal, since the beginning of the conflict, they have hit 14 ships, destroying as many as eight of them.

Magura V5 is a relatively new addition to the Ukrainian drone arsenal. The device was unveiled at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2023), which took place in Turkey in July of the previous year. Since then, the Ukrainians have significantly improved the device, positively affecting its capabilities. The Magura V5 is not only a strike drone; it is also suitable for conducting observations, mine clearance, reconnaissance, and rescue missions.

A significant advantage of the mentioned drones is their use of a hydrodynamic hull V5, which increases maneuverability and makes them harder to detect. Additionally, the drone, which is over 16 feet long, can carry loads weighing more than 660 pounds, move at speeds of up to 48 mph, and its range is estimated to be over 515 miles. The Magura V5 is not the only "scourge" of the Black Sea Fleet. The effectiveness of the RK-360 Neptun missiles and Storm Shadow missiles has also been proven during attacks on Crimea.

Western experts believe that one of them was responsible for the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet's flagship, the missile cruiser project 1164 Moskva, in April 2022. The Storm Shadow missiles are also credited with involvement in the September 2023 attacks on the landing ship "Minsk" and the submarine "Rostov-on-Don" stationed in the Sevastopol shipyard. It is worth noting that the Ukrainian Military Intelligence (GUR) officially confirmed that these strikes were aided by data provided by the Polish-Finnish company ICEYE.

RK-360 Neptun missiles were developed and produced by the Ukrainian defense industry. Their significant advantage is their ability to launch from various platforms—ground launchers, ship decks, or airborne platforms. The missiles, which weigh 1,918 pounds (the warhead alone weighs 331 pounds), have a range of 174 miles and can move at speeds of up to 559 mph. They are also capable of maneuvering to mislead enemy missile defense systems.

Storm Shadow, a conventional, long-range tactical cruise missile launched from low-observable aircraft, can move at speeds of 621 mph and attack targets over 155 miles away. They weigh 2,866 pounds (the warhead weighs 992 pounds) and are 16 feet long. They are effective for precise attacks on airbases, vital communication hubs, or port facilities.