The crew of the small anti-submarine ship (MPK) "Urengoy" (project 1331-M) of the Baltic Fleet conducted exercises off the coast of Kaliningrad in late April, performing a torpedo attack on a mock enemy submarine. The time and place of the maneuvers indicate "high tension in relations between Russia and NATO", writes military expert Boyko Nikolov in an article for the Bulgarian Military publication.
The "Urengoy" exercises, conducted near this sensitive region, underscore Russia's attention to ensuring the security of its maritime approaches amid growing NATO activity in the Baltic Sea.
According to Nikolov, the Baltic Fleet is inferior in power to the Northern and Pacific Fleets. According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, in 2024, the Baltic Fleet had only a few submarines, and most of the existing surface ships were built in Soviet times.
New ships of the "Steregushchiy" type of Project 20380 rarely reach the Baltic Fleet, as the Pacific and Northern Fleets are prioritized. The Baltic Fleet is suitable for local operations.
Project 1331-M was developed in the GDR with the participation of specialists from the Zelenodolsk Shipyard for the USSR Navy.
Characteristics of the MPK:
- Overall dimensions — 75.2x9.8x2.85 m
- Maximum speed — 24 knots
- Cruising range — 2250 miles
- Endurance — 7 days
- Crew — 57 people
- Equipment: Radar MR-302 "Rubka"
- Armament: 57 mm AK-725, 1x2 30 mm AK-230
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