The Russian Navy has officially commissioned the small missile ship Burya, of Project 22800 Karakurt, during a solemn ceremony held in Baltiysk, Russia’s main naval base on the Baltic Sea.
The ceremony was attended by the Baltic Fleet command, including Admiral Sergey Lipilin, as well as representatives of the shipbuilding industry responsible for the vessel’s construction.
According to the TASS agency, the ship Burya was built for the Baltic Fleet at the Pella shipyard. The vessel belongs to Project 22800 Karakurt, a class of small missile ships developed for strike missions in coastal and maritime zones.
Construction began in 2016
Construction of the Burya began in 2016, and the ship was launched in 2018. After that, the vessel went through a cycle of factory and state trials, during which the operation of its weapons systems, engines, navigation and control systems was verified.
Its entry into service represents another reinforcement for the Baltic Fleet, at a time of growing attention on Russian naval movements in the region.
Ship can operate Kalibr-NK and Onyx missiles
The Burya was equipped with an eight-cell universal launcher capable of operating Kalibr-NK or P-800 Onyx cruise missiles. These systems expand the vessel’s strike capability against targets on land and at sea.
In addition, the ship is fitted with the Pantsir-M anti-aircraft artillery system, a 76.2 mm AK-176MA gun and two 30 mm AK-630M mounts, intended for short-range defense.
Karakurt class returns to the spotlight
The commissioning of the Burya comes just days after the Ukrainian Defense Forces claimed to have struck, on May 3, 2026, a small Project 22800 Karakurt missile ship during an attack on the port of Primorsk, in the Leningrad region of the Russian Federation.
According to the information released, the action reportedly took place during the night and hit an enemy vessel moored in the port area.
With the new ship, Russia is seeking to expand the operational capability of the Baltic Fleet, especially in naval presence missions, coastal defense and the use of long-range missiles from compact platforms.
Source and images: TASS and Telegram @mod_russia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
