Black Sea Fleet deployments-Wk06/2022
Fleet Overview
Weekly Brief
A significant build-up of amphibious lift capacity took place with the arrival of five Ropucha class and one Ivan Grenn class landing ship arriving in the Black Sea. These vessel, drawn from the Baltic and Northern Fleets, increases the total lift capacity in the Black Sea to one brigade.
Several naval exercises took place with the deployment of several capital vessels such as the Slava class cruiser Moskva. Naval activity increase and culminated on February 12 with a massive naval exercise involved around 30 warships and support vessels. Most support vessels are seen moving along the shorelines of the Crimea.
Daily Events
February 07
Around 200 members of the 810th NI Brigade were involved in a loading exercise at Cossack Bay, Sevastopol. The marines embarked with over 40 pieces of military hardware, most of the BTR-82As, on board of Ropucha class landing vessel Novocherkassk and Saratov class landing vessel Orsk. Later on, the vessels held an amphibious landing exercise at an unspecified location [1]. Though unconfirmed but given the fact that weekend was past and a possible delay in reporting, it is possible that the exercise took place during the weekend as one Ropucha class landing vessel was spotted leaving Opuk training ground on the morning of February 6th [2].
February 08
Slava class cruiser Moskva departed the naval base of Sevastopol during the day. It is rumored that the cruiser is heading to the Mediterranean but no official confirmation was given [3].
Baltic Fleet Ropucha class landing vessels Korolev, Kaliningrad and Minsk passed the Bosporus around 2100 GMT. All three vessels entered the Black Sea [4].
Intelligence collection vessels Ivan Khurs was reportedly operating recently near the Ukrainian port of Odessa [5].
February 09
Anti-sabotage underwater forces of the Novorossiysk naval base held a training exercise to combat underwater saboteurs. A Marlin-350 underwater vehicle and SPP-1 underwater pistols were used in the exercise. Due to bad weather conditions, the exercise was held in a swimming pool [6].
Rescue tug SB-36 and SB-739 Vasiliy Bekh reportedly departed the port of Sevastopol around 1200Z [7].
February 10
Baltic Fleet Ropucha class landing vessels Minsk, Korolev and Kaliningrad have arrived at the port of Sevastopol during the morning [8]. These vessels entered the Black Sea on the evening of February 08th [9].
Minesweepers Valentin Pikul and Vice-Admiral Zakharyin held a minesweeping exercise in the Black sea. The vessels worked out the actions needed to create safe passages in a minefield. Another exercise involved defending the vessels against an air attack [10].
Two Kilo class submarines were seen on satellite imagery of the port of Sevastopol. Both submarines were making smoke [11]. This smoke was coming from its diesel engines, suggesting that both submarines were getting ready to deploy at sea. As at least one of the Kilo class submarines was at sea on Feb 11, it is possible that both subs are getting ready for the L1 and L2 crew training courses [12] with the subs operating at sea and making controlled dives.
February 11
At least one Kilo class submarine was allegedly at sea operating with the vessel Kommuna [12].
A group of three Northern Fleet landing vessels arrived at Sevastopol during the morning. These were the vessels Pyotr Morgunov, Olenegorsky Gornyak and Georgiy Pobedonosets [13].
An anti-sabotage exercise was held near the naval bases at Sevastopol and Novorossiysk. The exercise was held in order to test base security and involved the deployment of over 200 servicemen and several patrol boats of the Grachonok and Raptor classes [14].
Intelligence collection vessel Ivan Khurs is reported at sea during the afternoon [15].
February 12
Over 30 Russian warships of the Black Sea Fleet were reported heading out to sea for tactical exercises in the Black Sea. Ships departed both from Sevastopol and Novorossiysk and are training to protect the coast of the Crimea. Exercise will involve naval gunnery, missile strikes and air operations by the naval aviation regiment [16] [17] [18].
Among the vessels departing for the exercise were the Grigirovich class frigate Admiral Essen, a Bykov class patrol vessel and a Tarantul class missile boat. Slava class cruiser Moskva was also show at sea but it is unclear if she left port or was already at sea.
February 13
Rescue tug Spasatel Bekh (SB-739) is heading towards Feodosia, Crimea. The vessel most likely departed Sevastopol as part of the 30-ship exercise launched on February 12th. AIS data shows the vessel following the coastline of Crimea [19].
A group of three vessels were reported heading towards Lake Donuzlav, Crimea. The vessels were identified as fleet tanker VTN-73, logistic support vessel Vsevolod Bobrov and rescue tug RB-412 [20].
Ropucha class landing vessel Tsezar Kunikov departed the port of Sevastopol [21]. The vessel was relatively high in the water, suggesting that it is not fully loaded.
