Ukraine naval drones successfully sink Russian corvette Ivanovets in Black Sea.

During the night of January 31 to February 1, 2024, a special operation conducted by Group 13 of the special intelligence unit of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet's corvette Ivanovets. The attack took place at the roadstead of Lake Donuzlav in Crimea, which is currently occupied by Russia.
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During the night of January 31 to February 1, 2024, a special operation conducted by Ukrainians destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet's Tarantul class corvette Ivanovets. (Picture source: Ukrainian MoD)

The Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU) announced that it had destroyed the Russian corvette Ivanovets, a member of the Black Sea Fleet, using a group of unmanned boats during a nighttime operation. The attack, occurring near Lake Donuzlav in occupied Crimea, inflicted critical damage on the Ivanovets after several direct hits, leading to its sinking.

The cost of the ship is estimated to be between $60 and $70 million, underscoring the economic impact of this loss for Russia. This operation not only demonstrates Ukraine's ability to deliver strategic strikes against Russian military assets at sea but also showcases its ingenuity in the design and execution of its military operations.

The successful operation was made possible with the support of the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation and the United24 platform, highlighting the importance of collaboration between different branches of the Ukrainian government and technological innovation in modern warfare.

The corvette Ivanovets, belonging to the Project 12411 or Tarantul-III class, represents an evolution in the Molniya corvette family, originally designed for export. This upgrade is distinguished by the replacement of the obsolete P-20 (SS-N-2 Styx) missile system with the Moskit (SS-N-22 Sunburn) missile system, capable of launching supersonic anti-ship missiles, as well as the installation of a new multirole radar system. Despite its relatively modest displacement of 550 tons, the Ivanovets is armed with four Moskit supersonic anti-ship missiles.

Primarily intended to engage combat ships, amphibious ships, and other targets at open sea, the Project 12411 Molniya Corvette boasts a variety of weapons with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air capabilities. Its unique radar system can simultaneously track up to 15 targets, designating six targets in an intense electronic warfare environment. The corvette's fire control system can detect air and surface targets, perform automatic tracking, and calculate firing data, capable of providing designation data for five targets at once.

In addition to its strike missiles, the Ivanovets are equipped with air defense missile weapons and automatic artillery installations. It has 12 portable Igla anti-aircraft missile complexes designed to engage air targets in conditions of natural visibility. Its rapid-fire 76mm and 30mm artillery guns are designed to destroy air, surface, and coastal targets and can also be used to neutralize floating mines. The Ivanovets also have two launchers and combined-interference shells to protect against anti-ship weapons with different guidance systems.

Videos circulated on Russian social media show the crew using various weapons to aim and fire at Ukrainian USVs without notable success.

With a speed of up to 40 knots and a range of up to 1,600 nautical miles, the Ivanovets' crew consists of 40 members. The corvette is powered by a powerful gas turbine power plant, complemented by diesel generators, and is equipped with a complete set of navigation and communication equipment, as well as air conditioning and ventilation systems, ensuring its operational efficiency in all climatic conditions.

Commissioned on December 30, 1989, after being launched on July 28, 1989, by the Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard in Pontonny, and renamed Ivanovets on October 29, 1998, this ship was thus sunk on the night of January 31 to February 1, 2024.

Russian Corvette Ivanovets, 21 August 2020 ( Picture source: Russian MoD)