In early August, the russian Navy suffered an embarrassing incident in the Azov Sea when its Vyshny Volochek small missile corvette of the Project 21631 Buyan-M collided with a civilian tanker. The vessel, part of the 41st Brigade, was maneuvering to evade Ukrainian drone threat when the accident occurred. Despite Moscow's attempts to conceal the incident, leaked documents and photographs have confirmed the extent of the damage.
The episode took place on August 7 in the Temryuk Bay. Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU published navigational schematics of the corvette's maneuvers, images of hull damage, and an official accident report signed by Captain 1st Rank Oleg Sardin. The report details how the Nazán civilian tanker, became involved in the collision after the corvette abruptly changed course.
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According to the leaked documents, at 03:59 am. the Vyshny Volochek ship was ordered to turn hard to port after radar operators reported multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in the airspace. Just six minutes later, at 04:05 am, the warship struck the tanker on its port side, causing significant structural deformation to its hull and internal framing. The incident was officially classified as an "accident related to ship handling".
This timing coincides with claims by russia's Ministry of Defense that night, which boasted of shooting down 31 drones over the Azov Sea and another 11 over temporarily occupied Crimea.
The juxtaposition suggests that russian vessels were under real pressure from Ukrainian long-range drone strikes, leading to risky maneuvers and accidents even within their controlled waters.
The accident not only damaged the Vyshny Volochek ship, a vessel designed to carry the Kalibr cruise missiles, but also undermines the perception of eussian naval competence. The corvette's inability to maintain control during evasive actions highlights both the growing effectiveness of Ukrainian drone warfare and the russian fleet's operational strain.
Photographs from the leaked files show visible deformation of the ship's port side, contradicting attempts by russian officials to downplay the incident. While the official report stops short of admitting a combat loss, the acknowledgment of serious hull damage makes clear that the corvette will require costly repairs.
The collision also raises questions about the russian Navy's safety protocols in congested waters. Operating advanced missile ships alongside civilian vessels under the constant threat of Ukrainian drones creates an environment where accidents are not only possible but inevitable. For the Kremlin, such episodes add to the mounting list of failures plaguing its Black Sea and Azov Sea fleets.
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