On May 7, the Russian shipyard Zelenodolsk launched two new combat ships for the Russian Navy. One of the vessels is a Karakurt-class missile corvette (Project 22800), which will be named Typhoon, while the other ship is a patrol vessel (Project 22160) that will carry the name Viktor Veliky.
According to TASS, with the launch of these two ships, the Russian naval forces now have a total of four Project 22800 ships in their inventories, two of which were launched by the AMUR shipyard in September of last year, and three Project 22160 ships.
Regarding the ships belonging to Project 22800, they are known to be multi-purpose missile boats, with their most notable feature being the Kalibr cruise missiles manufactured by Russia since the 1980s, for which they have 8 vertical launchers. The Karakurt corvettes displace approximately 800 tons, with dimensions close to 67 meters in length and 11 meters in beam, accommodating a crew of up to 39 people. These vessels are capable of reaching maximum speeds of up to 30 knots with an estimated range of 2,500 nautical miles. In addition to their missile arsenal, they are equipped with a 76.2mm caliber automatic cannon and an air defense system based on the Pantsir system.
On the other hand, the ships of Project 22160 are configured as one of the Russian means for patrolling the exclusive economic zone. Each patrol vessel displaces around 1300 tons at top speeds of up to 30 knots, capable of operating within a range of 6000 nautical miles. Their crew consists of 80 Russian Navy personnel, who have at their disposal an arsenal composed of 57mm artillery systems, machine guns, and anti-aircraft missile defense capability. Additionally, these patrol vessels are capable of carrying a Ka-27PS helicopter.
The acquisition of these ships is part of the Russian Ministry of Defense’s projects aimed at replenishing naval losses incurred in the conflict with Ukraine. In March of this year, a Ukrainian attack with Magura V5 naval drones destroyed the Project 22160 patrol vessel “Sergei Kotov,” the most modern of its class. A similar fate befell the missile boat Ivanovets, destroyed in February 2024. Faced with this scenario, it becomes imperative for the Russian military effort to maintain a production pace that matches the losses of its Navy in the waters of the Black Sea.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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