According to information published by LIGA on August 16, 2023, the Ukrainian Naval Forces have successfully disabled five of the six major Russian landing ships since the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
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Ropucha class landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak. (Picture source: realist.online)
The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, detailed that the first ship, the Project 1171 (Tapir-class) landing ship Saratov, was sunk in the port of temporarily occupied Berdyansk, following a strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on March 24, 2022.
In that same operation, the Ropucha class (Project 775) landing ships Caesar Kunikov and Novocherkassk were damaged, with both vessels catching fire shortly after.
The fourth ship, Project 775 ship Olenegorsky Gornyak, suffered significant damage from a maritime drone attack in the port of Novorossiysk on August 4 and is currently undergoing repairs. Pletenchuk did not disclose the identity of the fifth targeted ship at the time of the statement.
On the morning of August 4, 2023, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in coordination with the Navy carried out a special operation with aqua-drones in the bay of Novorossiysk, severely damaging the BDK "Olenegorskiy Gorniak." Following the assault, the ship was towed to a floating dock in the port of Novorossiysk for further evaluations.
Adding to the series of tactical successes, a marine drone struck and damaged the Russian tanker SIG, responsible for transporting fuel for the Armed forces, on the night of August 5.
About the landing ships
The Ropucha class, or Project 775, is a Soviet-designed vessel used to transport troops, vehicles, and equipment. With the capacity to carry up to 10 main battle tanks or over 200 troops, it's equipped with anti-aircraft guns and missile launchers.
In the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2023, the Ropucha class could have been utilized for amphibious assaults on Ukraine's coastlines, supplying reinforcements, or as a strategic deterrent. However, their deployment in conflict zones carries inherent risks due to vulnerabilities to modern weaponry.
