Rescue Operations for Russian Patrol Boat Purga Have Not Begun Even on Third Day

On the third day after the Ukrainian attack, rescue operations for the ice-class patrol ship Purga (Project 23550 Yermak), which was being built for the Russian FSB Coast Guard, had still not begun.

This was reported by Militarnyi citing satellite images available to the publication.

Judging by high-resolution satellite images dated the morning of March 27, no activity was recorded on the territory of the Vyborg Shipyard in the Leningrad region near the damaged ship.

During the morning attack by Ukrainian strike drones on military targets in Vyborg on March 25, 2026, the Purga listed to port by 30–40 degrees.

Such a list usually leads to intense flooding of internal compartments and subsequent loss of stability. However, in this case, a neighboring vessel—the oceanographic research vessel Vice Admiral Burilichev—prevents the ship from capsizing completely.

In fact, the ship is leaning against its side, which prevents it from rolling over 180 degrees and sinking completely. Were it not for this support, the angle of list would likely be much greater, and the ship itself might have already capsized.

According to the design, the ship is to be armed with a 76 mm AK-176MA artillery mount, two 30 mm six-barrel AK-306M anti-aircraft artillery mounts, four 12.7 mm machine guns, and MANPADS launchers, and is intended for operation in Arctic conditions. As a reminder, in August 2025, the new Russian Project 23470 sea tug Kapitan Ushakov sank near the quay wall in St. Petersburg.

The incident occurred at the Baltic Shipyard, whose production facilities are leased by the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant. On the evening of August 8, the tug listed and subsequently sank.

Project 23470 sea tugs are designed to tow ships, floating objects, and structures in seas and oceans without restrictions on navigation areas.

They are capable of operating in ice conditions in accordance with the Arc4 class. They are also designed to perform search and rescue functions, firefighting, and other tasks.

According to the plan, the owners were supposed to deliver the vessel by November 20, but this never happened. As of early February 2026, the vessel was still capsized, frozen in the ice on the shipyard grounds.