On the morning of August 22, 2023, russians deployed three missile carriers equipped with a total salvo of up to 20 Kalibr missiles into the sea. Among these three carriers is the latest Tsiklon vessel, which was recently added to the russian Black Sea Fleet. Simultaneously, russian occupants conducted a combat reconnaissance of Ukrainian air defense, using strike drones.
This indicates that the russians are prepared to execute new missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine, according to to Natalia Humeniuk, Head of the United Coordinating Press Center of Security and Defense Forces of the south of Ukraine.
Read more: russia Now Works Out Countering Maritime Drones Even in the Baltic Sea
This situation sends a highly alarming signal. Essentially, the focus is on the fact that an additional vessel capable of deploying Kalibr missiles has been added to the russian Black Sea Fleet’s arsenal. Consequently, the fleet now encompasses 2 frigates, 4 corvettes and potentially up to 5 submarines, all equipped to launch Kalibr missiles, culminating in a potential collective missile salvo of up to 70 missiles of this specific type.
Digging deeper, the Tsiklon ship falls under the category of corvettes under the Project 22800 Karakurt. It was commissioned into the russian Navy just in July 20233, marking the first missile-equipped ship to join the russian Black Sea Fleet since the loss of the Moskva cruiser.
The construction of the Tsiklon ship began as early as 2016, with its launch taking place in 2020. However, the ship’s testing was delayed by more than a year behind schedule. This vessel has the capacity to carry up to 8 Kalibr missiles, loaded into a universal launching system. Additionally, the vessel is armed with a 76 mm artillery installation in the bow section and a maritime version of the Pantsir-ME system, with a claimed firing range of up to 20 km for missiles and a target engagement altitude of up to 15 km.
The ship boasts a hull length measuring 67 meters, displaces 870 tons, operates with a crew of 39 individuals and can stay at sea autonomously for up to 15 days, covering a cruising distance of 2500 nautical miles while maintaining a speed of 12 knots. At the end of June 2023, the russian ship remained positioned at the Zalyv shipyard within the temporarily occupied region of Kerch.
Simultaneously, according to the National Resistance Center of Ukraine, russia is planning to deploy the Tsiklon ship and two other ships under the Project 22800 Karakurt to establish the Azov Military-Maritime District with a home base in the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol.
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