Professional Documents
Culture Documents
State of the Russian Fleet: Due to continued political, economic and societal chaos in
Russia, the Fleet is in a badly deteriorated state. Even those ships that remain in
commission and theoretically operational are generally unable to deploy, due to lack of
trained crews and lack of funds to buy fuel and stores. In general maintenance is minimal
or nonexistent, and there are no funds to conduct much-needed overhauls, even for major
fleet units. Many ships have been abandoned when repairs or refits came due.
This list identifies those units believed to remain operational, but most of these units are
unable to deploy for the reasons cited above. Ships in refit are listed only when there is a
reasonable chance of them returning to service. Ships laid up pending refit generally are
listed, as they could return to service if funding became available.
Many ships, especially auxiliaries, have been operating in commercial or charter freight
or passenger service to raise operating funds. These are listed as active units, as they
could rapidly return to naval roles if required.
Concept/Program: The first, and the largest, purpose-built ELINT ships. Equipped for
UNREP. Carry SSV (Communications Vessel) numbers.
Disposals/Reserve: Class leadship Lira stricken 1998; Aziya and Pribaltika in reserve.
Concept/Program: Large ELINT ships converted from sternhaul factory trawlers. Carry
SSV (Communications Vessel) numbers.
Classification: Probably Bol'shoy Razvedyatel'niye Korabl' (BRK); Large Intelligence
Ship.
Discarded Classes: All 'Mayak', Nikolay Zubov, "Okean", 'Pamir' and Keyla class
electronic surveillance ships have been stricken.
Survey & Research Ships
Sibirykov class oceanographic research ships (2 ships)
(Project 873)
Displacement: 3,422 tons full load
Dimensions: 85.65 x 15 x 4.8 meters/281 x 49.2 x 15.7 feet
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 2 Sulzer diesels, 2 shafts, 6,480 shp, 14 knots
Crew: 58 civilian + 12 mission crew
Reserve Classes: Three Akademik Krylov class oceanographic research ships are in
reserve (one of these remains nominally in commission); three have been stricken.
Discarded Classes: All Abkhaziya class research ships have been stricken; icebreaking
research ship Vladimir Kavrayskiy reported stricken 1995, three Polyus class research
ships stricken 1993-1994, research ship Nevel'skoy to reserve 1991 and stricken 1992.
'Moma' class coastal survey ships/buoy tenders (5 ships)
(Project 861)
Displacement: 1,502 tons full load
Dimensions: 73.3 x 11.2 x 3.8 meters/240.5 x 36.7 x 12.5 feet
Propulsion: 2 Sulzer diesels, 2 shafts, 3,600 bhp, 15 knots
Crew: 41 civilian
Concept/Program: Largest survey ships in Russian naval service; like virtually all
Soviet/Russian survey ships, they also serve as buoy tenders. This class has been
extensively exported and converted for other uses, both in the USSR/Russia and abroad.
6 are in reserve and many others have been discarded.
Concept/Program: Another class of small survey ships/buoy tenders. Five built for
export. One unit serves in an experimental role; many sisters in reserve or discarded.
Concept/Program: Small survey ships/buoy tenders; many built for export. Many sisters
discarded or in reserve.
Concept/Program: Similar to the 'Biya' class, but with larger buoy handling facilities
and no survey launch. Many sisters discarded or in reserve.
Discarded Classes: The converted 'Muna' class survey ships were stricken 1996-97.
Trials, Trials Support and Experimental
Ships
Marshal Krylov (Marshal Nedelin class) missile range
instrumentation/space event support ship (1 ship)
(Project 1914/1914.1)
Displacement: 25,300 tons full load
Dimensions: 211.2 x 27.7 x 8.3 meters/692.9 x 90.9 x 27.2 feet
Propulsion: 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 16,000 bhp, 22 knots
Crew: 403 + 11 transients
Radar: MR-320 Topaz-B/Strut Pair air/surf search or MR-750 Fregat/Top Plate 3-D air
search, End Tray tracking, Ship Globe tracking
Sonar: Platina-S hull mounted, Uzh dipping
Aviation: Aft helicopter deck and hangar for 2 Ka-32 helicopters
Classification: Unknown.
Reserve Classes: The very large nuclear powered space event support / missile tracking /
communications / command ship Ural has not operated since 1989, and is laid up in
reserve in the Pacific. It is unlikely that she will return to service after such a lengthy
period of inactivity; her operating costs are surely astronomical. The sonar trials ship
Kamchatka has been in reserve since 1993.
Discarded Classes: All 'Desna' and Sibir' class missile range instrumentation ships have
been stricken. The 'Sorum' class trials ship has been stricken; the 'Alpinist' class trials
support ship is out of service, and the 'Natya' class mine countermeasures trials ship was
scrapped in 1997.
Logistics Support Ships
Aleksandr Brykin ('Sadko' class) ballistic missile
transport (1 ship)
(Project 11570)
Displacement: 11,440 tons full load
Dimensions: 159.07 x 23 x 5.48 meters/521.8 x 75.5 x 18 feet
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 12,000 bhp, 16.5 knots
Crew: 148
Cargo: 16 SS-N-20 SLBM; 2902 cubic meters other cargo
Radar: Fregat-MA/Half Plate-A 3-D air search
EW: Bell Shroud intercept, Bell Squat jammer, 2 PK-16 decoy RL, 2 PK-10 decoy RL
Armament: 4 30 mm AA, 2 SA-N-8 SAM position, 1 MRG-14 grenade launcher
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Discarded Classes: All missile transports of the Yuniy Partizan, 'Andizhan', MP-6 and
'Melitipol' classes have been discarded.
Concept/Program: Special tankers for collection of nuclear plant waste water and spent
cooling rods. A third unit may have been laid down but was not completed.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Classification: Unknown.
Concept/Program: Small freighters, sisters to 20 built for civilian service. Ufa has been
employed in commercial cargo carrying since 1992 but remains navy-subordinated and
available for naval use.
Classification: Unknown.
Concept/Program: Hospital ships; can also serve as troopships. Class leadship stricken
1997.
Classification: Unknown.
Concept/Program: Smaller cable ship; an enlarged version of the previous class. Sister
Biriusa is in reserve.
Concept/Program: Small cable ship for operations in shallows, rivers and harbors. One
sister in reserve, one discarded.
Discarded Classes: The 'Urga' class training ship Gangut was stricken 1997; sister
Borodino stricken 1996.
Concept/Program: Very large mooring/buoy tenders with a 100 ton heavy lift gantry at
the stern. Developed from the previous 'Sura' class. Pacific fleet units have been
employed in commercial cargo carrying since 1992 but remain naval-manned and
available for naval use.
Concept/Program: Large buoy/mooring tenders with a 65 ton heavy lift gantry at the
stern. Several sisters discarded or in reserve.
Concept/Program: Former KGB patrol icebreaker disarmed and transferred to the navy
as a port icebreaker. Similar to the Dobrynya Nikitich class, below.
Classification: Unknown.
Concept/Program: Naval units of a large class (20 units) built for both naval and
civilian use.
Classification: Unknown.
Concept/Program: Survivor of four ships built to provide electricity and steam to Kiev
class carriers while in port. Likely to be discarded soon.