Destroyer Severomorsk Escorted Putin’s Yacht with Anti-Drone Protection During Baltic Sea Departure

Russia’s superyacht Graceful, which Forbes has described as Vladimir Putin’s personal vessel, the destroyer Severomorsk, and another Russian naval ship have left the Baltic Sea with special anti-drone netting installed on their decks.

German journalist Frank Behling of Kieler Nachrichten filmed the vessels before they entered Danish waters, while the DR project published details of their voyage.

During the night, the 80-meter yacht transited the Great Belt. By morning, it had passed Anholt, and by afternoon it had rounded Skagen. Until then, the vessel – valued at more than €100 million – had largely avoided cameras since late summer 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Previously, Graceful and its accompanying vessels had either remained moored or operated exclusively within the Baltic Sea. Anders Puck Nielsen, a military analyst at the Royal Danish Defence College (Forsvarsakademiet), linked the deployment to a series of Ukrainian drone attacks, including strikes near St. Petersburg.

Severomorsk (hull number 619) is a Project 1155 Fregat large anti-submarine warfare ship. It is assigned to the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet, although it is regularly deployed in operations beyond its home waters.

The vessel is designed to detect and destroy enemy submarines, provide anti-submarine and air defense for naval task groups, and deliver fire support for amphibious landing operations. It has a full displacement of approximately 7,500 tons and measures more than 160 meters in length.

The destroyer’s primary armament includes the Rastrub-B anti-submarine missile system and torpedo launchers, supplemented by AK-100 100 mm naval guns and Kinzhal surface-to-air missile systems for air defense. The vessel also features a flight deck and a permanent hangar capable of accommodating two Kamov Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters.