The Russian landing ship Novocherkassk was reported as damaged as early as 25th of March, 2022. It was not known whether it was damaged seriously nor can it be repaired. However, Ukrainian officials said that it is likely operational and being used to transport Iranian Shahed-136 drones, used to attack Ukrainian cities. Now Novocherkassk was completely destroyed during the Ukrainian attack on the naval base in the city of Feodosia in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Russian landing ship Novocherkassk when it was still operational and not partially submerged. Image credit: Artem Topchiy via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Russian landing ship Novocherkassk was destroyed on the 26th of December 2023. People of the occupied Feodosia reported a loud explosion and many have seen an unbelievably bright ball of fire, which replaces the silhouette of Novocherkassk.
There is no doubt that there was something on that ship – maybe ammunition, maybe missiles, or maybe drones, like the Ukrainians have predicted. It is also clear that it was not destroyed during the 25th of March attacks, because back then it was in Briansk.
Soon satellite images confirmed that Novocherkassk, a 112.5 metre long landing ship once inserted in the list of ships that could participate in an amphibious assault of Ukraine, is gone. It is completely destroyed, with parts of it submerged. A large shard of its body was found in Feodosia far from the port where it was docked.
👀 The moment of the explosion of ammunition (possibly Shaheds) on the Novocherkassk ship in Feodosia 🔥 pic.twitter.com/q3Nq6O90Kz
— MAKS 23 👀🇺🇦 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) December 26, 2023
But what did Ukraine use to destroy the Novocherkassk? Well, it is universally agreed that this attack was carried out by plane-launched cruise missiles Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG. Russia even reported to have destroyed two Su-24 jets that could have participated in the attack, but Ukraine denied it. However, BILD reports that according to a retired officer of the German Army Erhard Bühler, the employment of the Storm Shadow for this task is surprising.
You see, Feodosia is on the far Southern corner of the occupied Crimean peninsula. And, it was reported that Ukraine received Storm Shadow cruise missiles with a reduced range of around 250 km.
According to Erhard Bühler, this cannot be true – Ukraine must have received Storm Shadow missiles with a range of 560 km. Russia must understand that as well – such a deep strike will severely limit the freedom of movement of the Black Sea fleet. There are no safe ports for Russians in Ukraine.
👀 High-quality satellite images of the port in Feodosia, where you can see “Novocherkassk” before it completely sank ❗ pic.twitter.com/1RUOBH8niI
— MAKS 23 👀🇺🇦 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) December 27, 2023
Even though Novocherkassk was an amphibious landing ship, Erhard Bühler believes it was used to carry ammunition. It blew up so spectacularly that it is clear that it wasn’t just a missile strike on an empty ship. By some estimations, Russia already lost one-fifth of its Black Sea navy since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, was informed about the destruction of Novocherkassk. No one can tell what his reaction was. Although this ship was commissioned in 1987, it was still in use and the loss of it is a big hit to the Russian forces in Ukraine.
Written by Povilas M.