Russia rearm captured Ukrainian vessels for counter-drone operations

Russians have repurposed captured naval belongings from Ukraine, armored artillery boats, to counter the rising risk posed by Ukrainian drones.

On the onset of 2022, Russian forces seized management of the Berdyansk port in southern Ukraine, the place small armored artillery boats of the Ukrainian Navy, the “Akkerman” and “Vyshgorod,” Gyurza-M class, had been stationed. These vessels had been subsequently relocated to the occupied Crimea, the place they’re being tailored for a brand new function.

In response to Ukrainian sources, ranging from March 12, the Russian aspect has fully reorganized the Berdyansk Port Administration, the bottom for the Ukrainian Navy ships and State Border Guard Service vessels.

Latest photos have emerged depicting the rearming of the “Vyshgorod” and “Akkerman” vessels with 25mm naval artillery installations, designated as “2M-3M.” Beforehand, these vessels had been geared up with two distant fight modules, the BM-5M.01 “Katran-M.” The fight module comprised a 30mm automated ZTM-1 cannon, a 7.62mm machine gun, a KBP-117 30mm grenade launcher, and two “Barrier” ATGM installations.

This improve of seized Ukrainian vessels signifies Russian forces’ efforts to repurpose these captured vessels for counter-drone operations and successfully goal Ukrainian theaters from the ocean amid a scarcity of their very own capacities and ships.