Russian frigate unable to launch Kalibr after Ukrainian drone attack
5.03.2026 - 16:27
As a result of the attack on the port of Novorossiysk, the ship “Admiral Essen” was damaged, which is currently no longer able to launch Kalibr missiles.
This was reported by sources in the SBU, writes Ukrainska Pravda.
“During the attack on the port of Novorossiysk on the night of March 2, the SBU, together with the Defense Forces, hit the frigate Admiral Essen, which is a carrier of 8 Kalibr cruise missiles. The strike hit the ship’s middle superstructure,” the source said.
In particular, as a result of the strike, a fire broke out on the deck that lasted about 18 hours.
The frigate’s heat trap and radio signal scatterer grenade launchers exploded. The TK-25 electronic warfare complex, which detects radar radiation and creates interference, and the ZR-90 “Orekh” target illumination radars, which are part of the ship’s anti-aircraft missile system guidance system, were also damaged.
“The ship received critical damage, which significantly limits the possibility of using its Kalibr cruise missiles. Currently, the frigate cannot strike the territory of Ukraine,” the source added.
In addition, the main surveillance radar “Fregat-M2M”, which is responsible for long-range detection of air and surface targets, was probably damaged.
Read also: SBU and Defense Forces hit a Russian naval minesweeper and anti-submarine ships.
