Polski
русский
Українська

The project ended before it began: the sunken Cyclone ship did not have time to fire a single missile

The launching ceremony of the Cyclone corvette at the Zaliv shipyard, Kerch, July 2020. Source: Facebook

The Russian missile corvette "Cyclone" as part of the Black Sea Fleet did not even have time to pass state tests. The vessel was destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on May 19, and it was a Kalibr missile carrier in the Black Sea.

This was reported by the spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, Dmytro Pletenchuk. He clarified that the invaders planned to introduce five such corvettes into the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and the Cyclone was the first of them.

"The project (of the ship) is not something new, but the ship itself was new. And yes, it actually did not even have time to pass state tests, because it never launched a single cruise missile," Pletenchuk said.

"The Cyclone is a corvette of the 22800 Karakurt project. Other vessels of this project were also either disabled or left the Black Sea.

"It was also the Askold, which was not even allowed to try, it was destroyed by the Air Force. Two more such ships, Amur and Tucha, were in the water area and were forced to leave it, and went somewhere to the Caspian Sea via Rostov to conduct tests. And another such ship is currently being completed at a plant in Taganrog. Therefore, in principle, this entire series has actually ended without having started," the military emphasized.

Nevertheless, Russia still has 10 more surface launch vehicles in the Black Sea. If we take their total number, they can simultaneously launch "a little more than 50 Kalibr missiles. But in reality, this is unlikely, and "this practice has never been used," Pletenchuk added.

Cyclone and the 22800 Karakurt project

Small missile ships of Project 22800 "Karakurt" are 3rd-rank missile and artillery vessels with guided missile weapons in the near sea area. As of May 2024, 14 of these ships had been built, but only 4 were part of the invaders' fleet.

Pletenchuk said that this is "not a new project" for a reason - Russia has not done anything new under dictator Putin. And these "Karakurt" are a development of the 1990s (and in fact, a reworking of Project 12300 "Scorpion").

Corvettes of Project 22800 are being built "taking into account the policy of import substitution; more than 18 ships of this project are planned for construction. The estimated cost of the sunken Cyclone is more than three billion rubles (at last year's prices).

The ship is equipped with strike and air defense systems, combat control, detection, targeting, and communication systems. However, it does not have high-quality protection against marine drones. To combat underwater saboteurs, the ships are equipped with a DP-64 grenade launcher.

The Cyclone corvette in question had a serial number of 801. It was commissioned into the Black Sea Fleet in July 2023.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, in April it was estimated that during the full-scale war, the Russian Black Sea Fleet has already lost a third of its ships. Among the vessels destroyed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces are not only the flagship, but also patrol vessels and large amphibious ships. There is even a submarine.

Earlier, agents of the Atesh military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars reported that the occupiers were strengthening their naval base in Novorossiysk, where they had previously moved most of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. They are installing various means against marine drones.

The network showed images of damaged ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the bay of the temporarily occupied Sevastopol. Among them are two amphibious assault ships and the Ivan Khurs.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!

Other News