Russian navy shifts ship testing to Baltic amid Black Sea threats

Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the informational war conducted by the Russian Federation.

In mid-July, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Naval Forces, Capt. Dmytro Pletenchuk, reported that Russia withdrew the last patrol vessel from Crimea. The decision to move it was related to the intensification of Ukrainian attacks in the region, particularly on ships in the Black Sea. The Russians appear to be concerned about the vessels currently in service and those that have yet to be commissioned.

Defence Romania noted TASS reports that the patrol ship Project 22160 Viktor Veliky will be transported from Zelenodolsk to St. Petersburg for its completion and state tests. The construction of this vessel began on 25 November 2016 at the Zelenodolsk Shipyard. Four sister ships of Project 22160, which have already been commissioned into the Black Sea Fleet – Vasily Bykov, Dmitry Rogachev, Pavel Derzhavin, and Sergey Kotov – were also built here.

The last of these ships sank on the night of 4th to 5th March 2024 in the Kerch Strait region. This occurred due to attacks by Magura V5 surface drones. These unmanned vessels are one of the biggest challenges for the Russian navy. According to analysts from the "Political Science and Security Studies Journal," since the beginning of the conflict, they have struck a total of 14 vessels, leading to the destruction of eight of them.

Magura V5 is a relatively new addition to the Ukrainian drone arsenal. The device was unveiled at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2023), held in Turkey in July last year. Since then, the Ukrainians have significantly improved the device, enhancing its capabilities. The Magura V5 is not just an attack drone; it can also conduct surveillance, mine countermeasures, and reconnaissance and rescue missions.

A significant advantage of these drones is the hydrodynamic V5 hull, which is designed to increase manoeuvrability and make detection more difficult. Additionally, this unmanned vessel, over five metres long, can carry loads exceeding 300 kg, move at up to 22 knots (approximately 49 mph), and has a range of over 450 miles. Moreover, the Magura V5 is not the only "terror" of the Black Sea Fleet. RK-360 Neptun missiles and Storm Shadow missiles have also proved their effectiveness during attacks on Crimea.

Western experts believe that one of these missiles is responsible for the sinking of the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet in April 2022, the missile cruiser Project 1164 Moskva. Storm Shadow missiles are also attributed to the attacks in September 2023 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 during these strikes, the data provided by the Polish-Finnish company ICEYE helped.

RK-360 Neptun missiles are developed and produced by the Ukrainian defence industry. Their significant advantage is the ability to be launched from various platforms – ground launchers, ship decks, or aircraft platforms. The missiles weigh 1,920 lbs (the warhead alone weighs 330 lbs), have a range of 174 miles, and can travel at speeds of up to 560 mph. They can also manoeuvre to deceive the enemy's missile defence.

Storm Shadow, conventional tactical long-range cruise missiles carried by low-detectable aircraft, can travel at a speed of 620 mph and attack targets more than 155 miles away. They weigh 2,866 lbs (the warhead alone weighs 992 lbs) and are five metres long. They are suited for precise attacks on airbases, critical communication nodes, or port facilities.