Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has lost a Project 114M “Albatros-M” small anti-submarine ship that was based in the port of Sevastopol. The patrol warship carries surface-to-air missile systems to engage aerial targets and weapons used to hunt surface craft approaching Crimea.
The fire was spotted on November 3 in Sukharnaya Bay in Sevastopol, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported. At first, the vessel type was hard to determine because it had been covered with camouflage netting. On November 4, it was identified as a scarce Black Sea Fleet patrol ship—one of only four operating in the Black Sea.
Video shows a column of smoke enveloping the vessel’s upper section. Flames were not visible, and the cause of the blaze is unknown.
The channel’s authors described it as an “ancient ship” about 40 years old. The fleet has four of these small anti-submarine ships—Muromets, Suzdalets, Kasimov and Yeysk. In 2024, two were moved to Novorossiysk and two remained in Sevastopol; it was not specified which one burned on November 3.
Sukharnaya Bay lies deep inside Sevastopol Bay, about 5 km from the entrance.
Fire in Sevastopol — details
Small anti-submarine ships of Project 114M are part of the Russian fleet and were built in the Soviet era in the 1980s and 1990s.
Specifications of Project 114 and 114M “Albatros-M”:
- construction: 1982–89 (among others, produced by JSC “Leninskaya Kuznitsa” in Kyiv); 17 units in working order
- dimensions: length 71 m, beam 10 m, displacement 900 tons
- speed: 14–35 knots (26–65 km/h)
- crew: 86 sailors, including eight officers
- radar: Rubka, Topaz-2, Topaz-2V, Fregat-MA-1, Bizan-3B, Vympel-R2, Bars
- armament: twin naval gun mounts AK-725 and AK-176; air-defense systems Osa-M, Strela-3, Igla; anti-submarine rocket launcher Smerch-2; plus four torpedoes
On August 7, Russians complained of an air attack on Crimea and claimed they were hit by missiles and even Storm Shadow.
On October 9, the outlet Welt reported that three “Flamingo” missiles struck an FSB base in Crimea.
