Ropucha-class landing ship explained

The Ropucha class (NATO reporting name, Polish for "toad"), Soviet designation Project 775, is a class of landing ship (large landing ship or Bol'shoy Desantnyy Korabl' - Russian: Большой десантный корабль (BDK - Russian: БДК) in Soviet classification) built in Poland for the Soviet Navy. The ships were built in the Stocznia Północna shipyards in Gdańsk, Poland. They were designed for beach landings, and can carry 450 tons of cargo. The ships have both bow and stern doors for loading and unloading vehicles, and the of vehicle deck stretch the length of the hull. Up to 25 armored personnel carriers can be embarked.[1]

While designed for roll-on/roll-off operations, they can also be loaded using dockside cranes. For this purpose there is a long sliding hatch-cover above the bow section for access to the vehicle deck. There are no facilities for helicopters.

The Soviet Navy commissioned a total of 28 ships of this type from 1975 to 1991. The last three ships were of the improved variant Project 775M, also called Ropucha II. These have improved defensive armament and accommodation for a greater number of troops.

Operational history

Most of the ships became part of the Russian Navy after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. They were used for landing troops at the Georgian port of Poti during the Russo-Georgian War and for deliveries of cargo during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

One ship of the class was delivered to South Yemen in 1979 and served the Yemeni Navy until 2002, before it was sold as a civilian cargo ship named Sam of Yemen. It was the only one of the class in service outside the former Soviet Union.

On 3 August 2012, international media reported that three vessels of the class, Aleksandr Otrakovskiy, Georgiy Pobedonosets and Kondopoga, would visit the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria. The ships were part of the Northern Fleet. Earlier reports, quoting an anonymous source at the Russian general staff, said the ships would spend a few days in Tartus and take on fresh supplies of food and water. British media added that the ships each had up to 120 marines on board.[2] The Russian defence ministry left open the possibility that the ships might dock there at some point for logistical reasons, saying they had every right to do so. The General Staff source had said that after calling at Tartus they would head for the Bosporus and the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.[3] [2] From 2013 on, ten Ropucha-class ships, gathered from all four Russian fleets, were used to transport military equipment from Novorosiysk to Tartus, during an intervention in the Syrian civil war.[4]

All four ships of the Russia's Black Sea Fleet, namely,, Yamal and Azov, were modernized with installation of the Tsentavr-NM2S, Auriga and Cobham SAILOR satellite phones.[5]

Russo-Ukrainian War

upright|thumb|A PT-76 amphibious tank leaving a Project 775 ship at the bow gate

The Ukrainian Navy's only ship of the class, Kostiantyn Olshansky, was seized by Russian troops and pressed into service with the Russian navy after their invasion and subsequent occupation of Crimea in March 2014.[6]

In February 2022, prior to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the landing ships Korolev,, Kaliningrad, Pyotr Morgunov (Project 11711), Georgy Pobedonosets, and Olenegorsky Gornyak from the Baltic and Northern fleets departed their bases and passed through the Dardanelles Strait for claimed exercises in the Black Sea.[7] [8] [9]

In late March 2022, and were damaged in a Ukrainian attack in the port of Berdiansk. Tsezar Kunikovs commander, Captain of the 3rd rank Alexander Chirva, was reportedly killed in the strike.[10] [11] The ships were unable to return to active duty for several months due to lack of spare parts.[12] Novocherkassk was struck by Ukrainian cruise missiles and destroyed on 26 December 2023.[13] Satellite imagery and local photography taken after the strike showed that an exploded wreck was what remained of the ship.[14] Tsezar Kunikov was reported sunk by several Ukrainian naval drones on 14 February 2024; the sinking was confirmed by Russian sources on 6 March.[15] [16]

In early August 2023, Olenegorsky Gornyak was seriously damaged at the Black Sea Novorossiysk naval base after it was struck by a Ukrainian maritime drone carrying of TNT.[17] The ship was pictured under tow, listing 40–50 degrees to port as tugboats worked to put it in a safe position.[18] [19]

On 13 September 2023, Russian military reported that the Sevastopol Shipyard had been struck by a Ukrainian missile attack, damaging Minsk and the Rostov-on-Don.[20] [21] [22] [23]

On 24 March 2024, the two remaining Ropucha-class landing ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were struck by cruise missiles while they were in port in Sevastopol. The Ukrainian general staff and open-source intelligence sources reported that both Yamal and Azov were hit.[24] [25] The recent satellite images did not reveal any damage, showing that the missile hit the pier next to the ship presumably due to the electronic warfare system.[26] [27]

On 26 March 2024, Ukraine claimed to have struck the Konstantin Olshansky with a Neptune missile without providing any direct confirmation. This vessel was seized from Ukraine in 2014, when Russian forces took control of the Crimean peninsula.[28]

List of ships

Project[29] NameHull No.BuildersCommissionedFleetStatusNotes
775BDK-47 (ex-SDK-47)134Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetDecommissioned
BDK-48 (ex-SDK-48)094Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
BDK-63 (ex-SDK-63)083Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
BDK-90 (ex-SDK-90)058Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
(ex-)012Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetNot activeBeing repaired in drydock after Ukrainian naval drone impact on 4 August 2023 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
BDK-181 (ex-SDK-181)083Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
Kondopoga (ex-SDK-182)027Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetUnknown
Kotlas (ex-SDK-183)035Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetDecommissioned
BDK-197 (ex-SDK-197)093Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
BDK-200 (ex-SDK-200)011Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetDecommissioned
Alexandr Otrakovsky (ex-SDK-55)031Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetActive[30]
BDK-119 (ex-SDK-119)Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetTransferred to South Yemen in 1979, decommissioned in 2002 and converted to cargo ship Sam of Yemen, sunk in 2018.
775/IIBDK-14070Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetDecommissioned
Oslyabya (ex-BDK-101)066Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetUnknown
BDK-105125Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetDecommissioned
Admiral Nevelskoy (ex-BDK-98)055Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetUnknown
BDK-32039Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetDecommissioned
127Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetNot activeHeavily damaged in Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol on 13 September 2023.[31] [32] [33] [34] Russian government announced that the ship will be restored.[35]
Kaliningrad (ex-BDK-58)102Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetUnknown
Georgiy Pobedonosets (ex-BDK-45)016Gdańsk ShipyardNorthern FleetUnknown
(ex-)154Gdańsk ShipyardBlack Sea FleetNot activeTransferred to Ukraine in 1996, captured March 2014 during the Russian invasion of Crimea.[36] Reported hit by Ukrainian Neptune Missile on 26th of March, 2024. [37]
Alexandr Shabalin (ex-BDK-60)110Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetActiveRefitted in 2020-2024.[38]
(ex-)158Gdańsk ShipyardBlack Sea FleetReported sunk by Ukrainian sources[39] [40] Damaged on in a Ukrainian attack in the port of Berdiansk during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[41] Sunk by a Ukrainian naval drone attack on 14 February 2024.[42] [43]
(ex-)142Gdańsk ShipyardBlack Sea FleetDestroyedDamaged on 24 March 2022 in a Ukrainian attack in the port of Berdiansk during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Destroyed in a Ukrainian air strike on Feodosia on .[44]
Yamal (ex-BDK-67)156Gdańsk ShipyardBlack Sea FleetActive
775MAzov (ex-BDK-54)151Gdańsk ShipyardBlack Sea FleetActive
Peresvet (ex-BDK-11)077Gdańsk ShipyardPacific FleetUnknown
Korolev (ex-BDK-61)130Gdańsk ShipyardBaltic FleetUnknown

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ropucha Class (Project 775 Class) Russian Landing Ship, Tank (LST) . U.S. Army . OE Data Integration Network (ODIN) . 29 December 2023.
  2. News: Loiko . Sergei L. . Russia reportedly sending warships with marines to Syrian waters . . 3 August 2012 . 4 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120805035156/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/08/russia-reportedly-sending-warships-with-marines-to-syrian-waters.html . 5 August 2012 . live.
  3. Web site: Russia denies warships heading for Syria's Tartus port . BBC News . 3 August 2012 . 3 September 2013 . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108164356/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19108141 . live .
  4. Kubiak . Krzysztof . 2017 . Syryjski ekspres . Raport-WTO . 4 . 1429-270X . 48 . pl.
  5. Web site: Оснащение больших десантных кораблей Черноморского флота системами спутниковой связи . Equipping large landing ships of the Black Sea Fleet with satellite communication systems . bmpd.livejournal.com . 11 December 2018 . ru . 3 March 2019 . 4 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200804115214/https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3450857.html . live .
  6. Web site: Russia sets for deploying in Syria large landing ship seized from Ukraine in annexed Crimea - media . . 9 February 2016 . 3 March 2019 . 22 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180922063737/https://www.unian.info/world/1259954-russia-sets-for-deploying-in-syria-large-landing-ship-seized-from-ukraine-in-annexed-crimea-media.html . live .
  7. Web site: 9 February 2022. Ukraine crisis: Russia sends 6 landing warships to Black Sea. 23 February 2022. South China Morning Post. 16 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230516215251/http://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3166350/ukraine-crisis-six-russian-amphibious-landing-ships. live.
  8. Web site: Sutton. H. I.. 8 February 2022. 6 Russian Warships And Submarine Now Entering Black Sea Towards Ukraine. 23 February 2022. Naval News. 4 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220304011118/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/02/6-russian-warships-and-submarine-now-entering-black-sea-towards-ukraine/. live.
  9. Web site: 'Dangerous moment': Russian naval buildup near Ukraine hits Cold War levels . Politico . McCleary . Paul . 10 February 2022 . 24 February 2022 . 24 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220224172156/https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/10/russian-naval-buildup-ukraine-cold-war-levels-00007986 . live .
  10. News: Командир корабля "Цезарь Куников" Чирва погиб на спецоперации на Украине . The commander of the ship "Tsezar Kunikov" Chirva died in a special operation in Ukraine . RIA Novosti. 18 April 2022. 19 April 2022.
  11. Web site: 2022-04-20 . Russian captain of Black Sea landing ship killed in Ukraine in latest blow for Putin . 2022-06-01 . The Independent . en.
  12. News: Польша поставила России контрафактные детали для десантных кораблей . . 2022-08-24 . ru . Poland supplied Russia with counterfeit parts for landing ships . https://web.archive.org/web/20220828161046/https://mash.ru/news/156607 . 2022-08-28 . live.
  13. News: Ukraine-Russia war live: New images show Putin's warship completely destroyed after Kyiv missile strike. Tom . Watling . . 2023-12-27.
  14. News: Photos of destroyed Novocherkassk landing ship emerge . Ukrainska . Pravda . . 2023-12-26.
  15. Web site: A Russian warship's last-resort machine-gun fire wasn't enough to defeat the Ukrainian sea drone assault that sunk it, video shows. Chris Panella. March 7, 2024. Business Insider.
  16. Web site: Video from the landing ship Caesar Kunikov during the Ukrainian drone attack was released. March 6, 2024. Ukrainian Military Center.
  17. Web site: Russian warship damaged in Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk naval base - sources . Reuters . Balmforth . Tom . 4 August 2023 . 4 August 2023 . 4 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230804034638/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blasts-gunfire-reported-near-russian-black-sea-port-novorossiysk-2023-08-04/ . live .
  18. Web site: Northern Fleet ship seriously damaged in drone attack . The Barents Observer . Atle . Staalesen . 4 August 2023 . 4 August 2023 . 4 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230804084627/https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2023/08/northern-fleet-ship-seriously-damaged-drone-attack . live .
  19. Web site: Ukraine strikes Russian landing ship with Kamikaze USV . Tayfun . Ozberk . Naval News . 4 August 2023 . 5 August 2023 . 5 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805094430/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/08/ukraine-strikes-russian-landing-ship-with-kamikaze-usv/ . live .
  20. Web site: Update Explosions reported at marine plant in occupied Sevastopol, 24 reported injured . 13 September 2023 . Rachel . Amran . The Kyiv Independent . 13 September 2023 . 15 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230915010010/https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-occupied-sevastopol-2/ . live .
  21. Web site: Fire at naval shipyard in Russia-annexed Crimea after Ukraine air attack . 13 September 2023 . Aljazeera . 13 September 2023 . 15 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230915105137/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/13/fire-at-naval-shipyard-in-russia-annexed-crimea-after-ukraine-air-attack . live .
  22. Web site: Ukraine Strikes Russian Naval Ships in Black Sea . Andrés R. . Martínez . Marc . Santora . 13 September 2023 . The New York Times . 13 September 2023 . 16 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230916071747/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/world/europe/sevastopol-explosion-black-sea-ukraine.html . live .
  23. Web site: Russia's $300 million Kilo-class submarine hit in attack on Black Sea Fleet naval base as fireballs light up shipyard . Will . Taylor . 13 September 2023 . LBC . 13 September 2023 . 14 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230914194604/https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/russian-submarine-hit-missile-attack-crimea/ . live .
  24. News: Ukrainian Armed Forces hit two large Russian landing ships in Sevastopol . 24 March 2024 . 2024-03-24 . Hromadske.
  25. News: Ukraine war: Two Russian landing ships hit off Crimea, officials say . 24 March 2024 . 2024-03-24 . BBC News .
  26. Web site: Военный Осведомитель . Military Informant . 24 March 2024 . 2024-03-25 . T.me.
  27. Web site: X.com .
  28. News: Ukraine says it hit warship that Russia took from it in 2014 with a missile . Max Hunder . Reuters. 26 March 2024 .
  29. Web site: Large landing ships - Project 775 . 5 August 2023 . russianships.info . 22 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181122005606/http://russianships.info/eng/warships/project_775.htm . live .
  30. News: Neves. Carlos Santos . 24 March 2024 . Portuguese navy guards Russian warships in Exclusive Economic Zone (PT: Marinha portuguesa vigia navios de guerra russos em Zona Económica Exclusiva) . 2024-03-25 . RTP News.
  31. 2023-09-15 . Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 15 September 2023 . DefenceHQ . UK Ministry of Defence . 1702557381501026323 . 2023-09-15.
  32. Web site: Defence Intelligence – communicating probability . 5 October 2023 . Government of the United Kingdom - Ministry of Defence . 17 February 2023 . 4 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231004192545/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-intelligence-communicating-probability . live .
  33. Web site: British cruise missiles were used in significant Ukrainian attack on Russian submarine . Sky News . Haynes . Deborah . 13 September 2023 . 13 September 2023 . 13 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230913161620/https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-strikes-russian-submarine-and-landing-ship-in-audacious-assault-on-crimea-naval-base-12960336 . live .
  34. Web site: Oryx . List Of Naval Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine . 2023-09-13 . Oryx . 23 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220423082922/https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/03/list-of-naval-losses-during-2022.html . live .
  35. News: 29 January 2024 . Источник сообщил, что ремонт поврежденного БДК "Минск" начнется в 2024 году . . ru.
  36. Web site: 24 March 2014 . Моряки понівечили "Костянтина Ольшанського" перед штурмом – ЗМІ . 5 August 2023 . pravda.com.ua . uk . 5 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805133024/https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/25/7020181/ . live .
  37. Web site: Russian landing ship Konstantin Olshansky hit with Neptune missile, says Ukraine . 26 March 2024 .
  38. Web site: Прошедший ремонт БДК "Александр Шабалин" провел тренировку по погрузке и выгрузке техники . Центральный Военно-Морской Портал . 2024-08-08 . ru . . 2024-08-09.
  39. News: How Ukraine sank the Caesar Kunikov—and is beating Russia at sea . . 14 February 2024 . 2024-02-26 .
  40. Web site: Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine . 2024-02-26 . Oryx.
  41. News: Польша поставила России контрафактные детали для десантных кораблей . . 2022-08-24 . ru . Poland supplied Russia with counterfeit parts for landing ships . https://web.archive.org/web/20220828161046/https://mash.ru/news/156607 . 2022-08-28 . live.
  42. Web site: Footage just released by the Ukrainian GUR showing the aftermath of this morning's USV attack on the Russian Ropucha-class landing ship Caesar Kunikov this morning . 25 March 2024 . twitter.com . 14 February 2024.
  43. News: van Brugen . Isabel . Video Shows Russian Warship on Fire as Kyiv Claims Latest Black Sea Trophy . 14 February 2024 . Newsweek . 14 February 2024.
  44. News: Watling . Tom . 2023-12-27 . Ukraine-Russia war live: New images show Putin's warship completely destroyed after Kyiv missile strike . . deviated . 2023-12-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227210040/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-warship-crimea-putin-latest-news-b2469790.html . 2023-12-27.