Ukrainian drones hit New Russian again. Damaged frigate Admiral Essen

Can one night's attack of unmanned systems limit the capabilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet? As a result of the impact on the port in Novorosiansk, a rocket frigate was to be damaged, among other things. Admiral Essen, which, according to the available information, has lost the ability to use Calibr maneuvering missiles.

The incident again draws attention to the safety of this key base of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.

Strike in New Russian

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that two frigates of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were damaged as a result of an attack of unmanned systems on the port in Noworosysk: Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov. The damage scale remains the subject of analysis, but the first information indicates the loss of combat capabilities of at least one of these ships.

According to Visegrád 24, frigate Admiral Essen After the attack on the port in Noworosyjsk, it is no longer capable of striking with the use of Calibr maneuvering missiles.

The projectile launchers of the Calibr on the frigates of the 11356R are located in a vertical UKSK system located on the bow of the ship. However, according to available materials, the drone was hit in the superstructure area, where there are sensors and radio-electronic combat systems, the damage of which may prevent the use of rocket weapons.

^{Photo. Design frigate diagram 11356R with deployment of main weapon systems and ship sensors / Ivan Zajac}

Impact on infrastructure and other units

The attack carried out on March 2 was part of a wider operation aimed at Russian naval facilities in the Black Sea. In addition to the two frigates, other vessels stationed in port were also damaged.

According to information provided by the Security Service of Ukraine, the trawler was also to be damaged Valentin Pikul. According to the same information, other Black Sea Fleet ships in a bad port may have been affected.

The attack also aimed at anti-aircraft defense infrastructure. According to Ukrainian information, the S-300PMU-2 Favorit radar system was damaged.

At the same time six of the seven tankers on the Sheskharis oil terminal were destroyed, which further increased the scale of the losses.

Fregata Admiral Essen with Calibr missiles – an important element of the Black Sea Fleet

Admiral Essen is one of the three rocket frigates of the 11356R project serving in the Russian Black Sea Fleet. These units were designed to be relatively fast in the construction of multi-tasking vessels capable of operating both in closed waters and in further operating directions.

A key element of their combat equipment is the vertical launcher of the Calibr-NK system, which allows the use of maneuvering missiles against land targets, as well as anti-ship missiles. It was this ability that the frigates of the 11356R project played an important role in Russian military activities conducted from Black Sea and Mediterranean waters.

Armed frigates Admiral Essen complements the 100 mm caliber cannon, the mid-range anti-aircraft defense system Sztell-1 and close-defence artillery kits designed to combat air and water purposes. The ship also has torpedo launchers and systems designed to combat submarines (ZOPs), and on board it may be based on an on-board helicopter used for reconnaissance tasks and activities of the ZOP.

Such a set of weapons makes the 11356R project frigates highly versatile, capable of carrying out escort, patrol and impact operations – both alone and in the ship teams. That is why ships of this type have become one of the most important elements of the military potential of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Why is New Russian so important?

Returning to the port of Noworosyjsk, located in the Krasnodar Region on the Black Sea, it is worth highlighting its dual role. On the one hand, it is one of the most important Russian commercial ports serving exports of oil, oil products and cereals. On the other hand, it is an important operational base for Russian Black Sea Fleet vessels.

Following the loss of part of the infrastructure in Crimea, the Russian Federation gradually increased the importance of New Russian as a back-up for fleet activities. Any effective attack on this port can therefore affect the ability to conduct maritime operations in the region.

At the same time, there was also a hit on the Russian helicopter Ka-27 located on the Siwasz drilling platform west of the Crimean coast. The machine was destroyed using an FPV drone, which, according to the available information, was to be delivered to the target area by an unmanned submarine. We have already written about this incident on our website (link to article).

What does this mean for the Black Sea situation?

If information on loss of combat capability by Admiral Essen confirm, this will be another example of effective actions by Ukraine against the Russian fleet. Since the start of the war, the Black Sea has become an area of intense technological competition, in which unmanned impact systems play an increasingly important role.

Will Russia be able to keep the New Russian as a safe base for its ships? How serious are the actual damage to the Black Sea Fleet frigate?

One thing seems certain, however, is that Ukraine's actions show that in the 21st century maritime war, the lack of a classic fleet does not necessarily mean a lack of opportunity. the enemy’s injuries at sea. Since the start of the war, unmanned water and air systems have effectively hit Russian ships and port infrastructure, showing that even small platforms can cause real casualties to the fleet.