Project 22160 patrol ship. Project 22160 is a series of large patrol ships being constructed for the Russian Navy. The vessels are primarily intended for duties such as patrol, monitoring and protection in open and closed seas. The first ship was laid down in February 2014 and joined the Russian Navy in December 2018. By January 2018, six ships were under construction. Between 2017 and 2022, four ships had been launched. 

During the Russo-Ukrainian War several of these ships were repeatedly attacked by Ukrainian Unmanned Surface Vehicles. On 5 March 2024, Ukraine spokesmen claimed they had sunk the Sergey Kotov.

Ships
Italics indicate estimates.

Design

The class's armaments include the Kalibr-NK cruise missile, the AK-176 76.2 mm dual-purpose naval gun, aerosol camouflage, two grenade launchers, and two machine guns. The class has a helicopter deck and hangar for one Ka-27 or Ka-226 helicopter, a landing speedboat, and provisions for drones, underwater unmanned craft, and unmanned boats. There are accommodations for an additional 60 sailors.

In 2020 it was announced that the Russian Navy would begin trials to test the installation of module containers on patrol vessels permitting such ships to carry significantly upgraded armaments tailored to different missions. The containers were envisaged to carry various weapons including sonars and torpedoes or anti-ship and cruise missiles. The trials took place in the Arctic Sea from June 2020 and lasted two months.

The Russian Navy planned to order 6 additional ships since 2014, but these plans were abandoned in June 2022 after dissatisfaction with the ships' performance during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Flaws include insufficient seaworthiness, light armour, and a lack of adequate air defences. After the sinking of the Moskva, the Russian Navy began attaching Tor-M2 km missile systems onto the helicopter decks of the patrol ships.

On 17 August 2022, Ak Bars CEO Renat Mistakhov stated that further vessels can be constructed, which will be armed with new anti-aircraft missiles.

Operational history

Vasily Bykov
The ship Vasily Bykov participated in the attack on Snake Island on 24 February 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, together with the Russian cruiser Moskva. This confrontation ended in the Russian takeover of Snake Island.

On 7 March 2022, Ukrainian sources claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had hit the Vasily Bykov with rocket artillery off the coast of Odesa, possibly damaging it On 5 August 2022, one of the ships of the class was seen entering Sevastopol with fire damage to the stern, thought by an open-source intelligence analyst to be the result of an attack the day before.

On 13 August 2022, Russia announced that Vasily Bykov had opened warning fire from automatic weapons to stop the Palauan-flagged cargo ship Sukru Okan, which was navigating through the Black Sea, after it failed to respond to a Russian request for an inspection.

Dmitry Rogachev
On 15 January 2021, Dmitry Rogachev moved from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, to strengthen the Russian Navy squadron.

Pavel Derzhavin
Ukraine reportedly attacked and damaged Pavel Derzhavin with Sea Baby unmanned surface vehicles (USV) on 11 October 2023.

Sergey Kotov

On 21 January 2021, it was reported that the Sergey Kotov was operational and would join the Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian spokesmen said the ship cost about 65 million USD. The ship is named after Russian counter admiral  (1912–1999).

On 14 September 2023, Ukraine claimed to have damaged two ships with naval unmanned surface vehicles (USV). Ukraine showed a video of a naval USV attacking the Sergey Kotov. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, said that it received damage to its propeller and a 50 by 100 centimeter hole in its hull, which would require it to spend some time undergoing repair.

On 5 March 2024, the Sergey Kotov was again attacked by Ukrainian forces, this time using MAGURA V5 unmanned surface vehicles while the ship was off the coast of Crimea near the Kerch Strait. Ukrainian military spokesmen announced the ship took damage to the stern, and later sank. Traffic to the Kerch Strait Bridge was stopped, but was not given a reason why. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the attack but did not comment on the damage to the ship.

If confirmed, it would be the third notable Russian ship sunk by Ukrainian forces in 2024, after the Ivanovets on 1 February and  on 14 February.

Export
In April 2018, it was reported that negotiations are underway after Algeria showed interest in acquiring four project 22160 patrol ships, equipped with the Club-N missile system and the Palma anti-aircraft system which includes the Sosna guided missiles. The demand for ships armed with the Kalibr cruise missiles grew after Russia's use of these missiles in combat in Syria.

See also
List of ships of the Soviet Navy
List of ships of Russia by project number
Okean-class patrol ship
Rubin-class patrol boat
List of ship losses during the Russo-Ukrainian War

References

External links 

 "Russian soldiers board helicopter from stopped ship". Reuters. 30 November 2023.

Patrol vessels of the Russian Navy
2018 introductions
Patrol ship classes