Two Russian landing ships hit in Ukrainian missile strike on Crimea
Ukrainian forces struck Russian landing ships Yamal and Azov in Sevastopol, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sunday, March 24.
Additionally, the communication center of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was reported to have been hit. Russian military outlets and authorities have not yet confirmed the incident. No footage of the strikes has been released by media outlets or on Telegram channels.
Yamal is a large landing ship of Project 775, built in Gdansk, Poland, in 1987 and became part of the Black Sea Fleet in 1988. Initially referred to as BDK-67, it was renamed Yamal on January 3, 2002, after the administration of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in the Russian Federation became its patron in June 2001. Yamal could reach speeds of up to 18 knots with a length of 112.5 meters, carrying up to 500 tons of equipment, cargo, and accommodating 225 marines.
Azov is a large anti-submarine ship of Project 1134BF of the Red Banner Black Sea Fleet of the Soviet Navy, and since 1991 of the Russian Navy. The Azov, which underwent modernization for an experimental installation of the Fort universal multi-channel missile system, was the first and only ship of its type. Originally, as part of Project 1134BF, it was to have ten missile launcher systems (80 missiles): six at the stern, replacing the Storm missile system, and four at the bow. However, during the modernization, the replacement of artillery systems with new ones was dismissed, retaining the old but reliable AK-726 artillery.
Built also in Gdansk, and commissioned into the fleet in 1990, Azov displaces 4,080 tons and features a length of 112.5 meters, a beam of 15 meters, and a draft of 3.7 meters, with a crew of 87 personnel. Its armament comprises an AK-176 artillery mount, two AK-630 six-barreled artillery installations, a UMS-73 Grad rocket system, and four portable Strela-2 anti-aircraft missile launchers, capable of carrying up to 500 tons of equipment and cargo, and 225 marines.