Russia launches final Buyan-M class corvette Stavropol.

According to information published by bpmd on June 11, 2024, in Zelenodolsk, at the A.M. Gorky Zelenodolsk Plant (part of the Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation of the Ak Bars Holding Company), a ceremonial launching took place for the Buyan-M class (Project 21631) corvette Stavropol.
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Russian Navy's Buyan-M class corvette Stavropol. (Picture source: Ria Novosti)

The vessel, with the factory number 642, is being built for the Russian Navy. This ship is the twelfth and reportedly the final in the series of Project 21631 corvettes. Admiral Moiseev announced that the Stavropol is expected to join the Baltic Fleet by the end of 2024.

No modifications made to the ship’s design based on ongoing combat experience, nor have any measures been taken to enhance its air, drone, and small boat defenses.

The Stavropol is the third and last of three ships constructed under a contract awarded by the Russian Ministry of Defense on September 7, 2016, valued at 27 billion rubles. The contract called for the building of three additional Project 21631 corvettes with factory numbers 640 to 642.

The Stavropol, with factory number 642, was laid down in Zelenodolsk on July 12, 2018. The commissioning of all three ships was initially planned for 2021-2023 but was delayed by approximately one year.

The lead ship under this contract, Grad (factory number 640), was laid down on April 24, 2017, and launched on September 17, 2021. In August-September 2022, Grad was towed via inland waterways from Zelenodolsk to Kronstadt, and on October 12, 2022, it began sea trials in the Baltic Sea. The ship was officially inducted into the Baltic Fleet on December 29, 2022.

The second ship, Naro-Fominsk (factory number 641), was laid down on February 23, 2018, and launched on December 9, 2022. In August 2023, it was towed from Zelenodolsk to Kronstadt via inland waterways and began sea trials on October 11, 2023. It joined the Baltic Fleet on December 25, 2023.

The Zelenodolsk Plant has previously delivered nine Project 21631 corvettes to the Russian Navy. The first two ships, Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich (factory numbers 631 and 632), were inducted into the Caspian Flotilla on July 27, 2014. The third ship, Veliky Ustyug (factory number 633), joined the Caspian Flotilla on December 19, 2014.

The fourth and fifth ships, Zeleny Dol and Serpukhov (factory numbers 634 and 635), built under a contract dated October 19, 2012, joined the Black Sea Fleet on December 12, 2015, and later transferred to the Baltic Fleet in October 2016.

Subsequently, the Black Sea Fleet received Vyshny Volochyok (factory number 636) on June 1, 2018; Orekhovo-Zuyevo (factory number 637) on December 10, 2018; Ingushetia (factory number 638) on December 28, 2019; and Grayvoron (factory number 639) on January 30, 2021.