The Russian Navy has commissioned the Project 22800 Karakurt Tucha corvette.

Russian media reported this with reference to the country’s Ministry of Defense.

The ship acceptance ceremony took place in Kaspiysk on the territory of the Caspian Flotilla’s naval station.

It is reported that the Tucha ship was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet, namely to the 41st Sevastopol Brigade of Missile Ships and Boats of the Nakhimov Order.

It is known that the corvette was launched on February 26, 2019 and launched on June 30, 2023.

Project 22800 Karakurt corvette

Project 22800 is primarily a platform for launching cruise missiles. The ship is equipped with a vertical launcher with eight cells for Kalibr-NK cruise missiles.

In addition, Oniks anti-ship missiles and Zircon hypersonic missiles can be deployed on board.

The artillery armament includes an AK-176MA 76.2 mm automatic artillery system, two AK-630M six-barrel 30 mm guns and two Kord 12.7 mm machine guns.

To provide air defense, the ship is equipped with a naval version of the Pantsir-ME anti-aircraft missile and artillery system. Additionally, a Tor-M2KM surface-to-air missile system module can be installed on board of the corvette.

The missile component of the SAM is capable of simultaneously hitting up to four targets at a distance of up to 20 km and at an altitude of up to 15 km.

The anti-aircraft artillery component of the system, consisting of two twin 30 mm automatic guns, is effective against targets at a distance of up to 4 km and an altitude of up to 3 km.

In early May, it was revealed that the Russians had withdrawn them from the Black Sea, apparently fearing their loss to Ukrainian missile strikes or kamikaze maritime drones.