The Russian Navy’s corvette Stoyki, a Steregushchiy-class vessel, recently conducted a series of sophisticated military exercises in the Baltic Sea, showcasing its advanced combat capabilities. During a planned training operation, the crew executed electronic missile launches using the Uran anti-ship missile system and engaged simulated air and naval targets with air defense and artillery systems.
Russia’s Stoyki corvette flexes muscle in Baltic Sea strikes
Photo credit: Russian MoD
The drills carried out in one of the most strategically sensitive maritime regions in Europe, included a broad spectrum of tasks—from countering simulated enemy ships to thwarting aerial threats and practicing electronic warfare tactics.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that all objectives were met, with the Stoyki’s crew effectively “destroying” designated targets in a controlled simulation. While no specific date was provided for the exercise, it aligns with Moscow’s ongoing efforts to maintain a robust naval presence amid rising tensions with NATO in the Baltic region.
The operation saw the Stoyki’s missile and artillery specialists deploy the Uran system, known for its precision against surface vessels, to simulate strikes on a group of enemy ships. The crew also tackled air defense challenges, neutralizing incoming aerial targets with a combination of artillery fire and anti-aircraft systems when the simulated threats entered the ship’s engagement range.
Beyond combat drills, the exercise incorporated electronic warfare measures, such as jamming, alongside training in ship survivability, navigation through narrow channels, and countermeasures against underwater and sabotage threats.
A statement from the Baltic Fleet’s press office, as reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, described the exercise as a comprehensive test of the corvette’s multifunctionality, underscoring its role in ensuring maritime security.
The Stoyki is no stranger to the Baltic Sea, a body of water bordered by NATO members like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and recent alliance additions Finland and Sweden. This latest drill comes at a time when the region has seen heightened military activity from both Russian and Western forces, reflecting broader geopolitical strains.
Analysts suggest that such exercises serve multiple purposes: testing operational readiness, refining crew skills, and sending a message of deterrence. “The Baltic Sea is a contested space,” said Dr. Michael Petersen, a naval expert at the U.S. Naval War College, in an interview.
“Russia uses these drills to signal its ability to project power close to NATO’s doorstep, especially as the alliance expands its footprint.” The exercise’s timing and location amplify its significance, though Moscow has not explicitly tied it to any specific event.
Designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau, the Steregushchiy-class corvettes represent a modern evolution of Russia’s naval capabilities. The Stoyki, hull number 545, was laid down at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg on November 27, 2006. Launched on May 30, 2012, it joined the Baltic Fleet after its commissioning on May 18, 2014, with a flag-raising ceremony held two months later on July 27.
At 343 feet long and displacing 2,200 tons fully loaded, it’s larger than traditional corvettes, prompting NATO to classify it as a frigate. Its steel hull and composite superstructure incorporate stealth features, such as a reduced radar signature achieved through hull architecture and radar-absorbent materials, making it a formidable presence in littoral waters.
The ship’s armament is a key factor in its versatility. It carries the Uran missile system, equipped with Kh-35 anti-ship missiles capable of striking targets up to 260 kilometers away, though ranges in exercises are typically shorter for safety and control.
For air defense, the Stoyki is fitted with the Redut vertical launch system, which replaced the earlier Kashtan close-in weapon system on later ships of the class. The Redut can deploy 9M96E medium-range surface-to-air missiles, derived from the S-400 system, offering protection against aircraft, drones, and missiles.
Additionally, the corvette boasts a 100mm A-190 deck gun for surface and air targets, two AK-630M 30mm close-in weapon systems for point defense, and twin 330mm torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare. A hangar and deck support a Kamov Ka-27 helicopter, enhancing its ability to detect and engage submarines or surface threats over the horizon.
With a crew of about 100, the Stoyki is powered by a combined diesel-and-diesel [CODAD] propulsion system, featuring four Kolomna 16D49 engines that deliver 23,664 horsepower to two shafts. This setup provides a top speed of 27 knots and a range of approximately 4,000 nautical miles at 14 knots, allowing sustained operations in the Baltic and beyond.
The ship’s design emphasizes survivability, with nine watertight compartments and advanced damage control systems, as demonstrated in the recent survivability drills. Its electronic warfare suite, used during the exercise to jam simulated threats, complements its physical armament, making it a multi-role platform suited for modern naval combat.
The operational history of the Stoyki reflects its active role in Russia’s Baltic Fleet. Since its commissioning, it has participated in numerous exercises and deployments, often alongside sister ships like Steregushchiy, Soobrazitelnyy, and Boikiy. In April 2015, it joined a detachment of Baltic Fleet ships for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine drills, firing artillery at sea and air targets while coordinating with naval aviation.
The following year, in November 2016, the Corvette conducted a successful simulated strike with the Uran system against a complex target set, including a mock cruise missile, in the Baltic Sea ranges. It also participated in a long-range deployment to the North Atlantic in June 2018, alongside Boikiy, the tanker Kola, and the tug Viktor Konetsky, covering thousands of miles over several months.
Further afield, the Stoyki has been part of Russia’s naval presence in contested waters. In November 2019, it returned to its homeport of Baltiysk after a 30-day mission in the Baltic Sea with the landing ship Kaliningrad, logging over 4,000 nautical miles. More recently, in April 2023, it was reported to have transited from the Mediterranean to the Baltic via the Atlantic, accompanied by Soobrazitelnyy and the frigate Admiral Grigorovich.
These missions highlight its endurance and adaptability, qualities that were on display in the latest exercise. The corvette’s ability to handle diverse threats—surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and electronic attacks—positions it as a linchpin in Russia’s regional strategy.
The Baltic Sea’s strategic importance cannot be overstated. Stretching from Denmark to the Gulf of Finland, it connects Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the mainland and serves as a vital trade and military corridor. Its proximity to NATO nations amplifies its role as a geopolitical flashpoint.
Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent war in Ukraine, military activity in the region has intensified. NATO has bolstered its presence with exercises like Northern Coasts and deployments of ships from the U.S., U.K., and other allies, while Russia has responded with its own drills, including the large-scale Ocean-2024 exercise earlier this year, which involved Baltic Fleet assets.
This context sheds light on why Russia conducts such exercises. Beyond maintaining crew proficiency and testing equipment, they serve as a demonstration of capability in a region where naval power projection is a form of diplomacy. “Russia wants to ensure its adversaries know the Baltic Fleet is active and credible,” said Katarzyna Zysk, a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, in a recent discussion.
“These drills are as much about deterrence as they are about readiness.” The use of electronic launches—simulated firings without live munitions—allows for realistic training while minimizing escalation risks, a pragmatic choice given the crowded waters of the Baltic.
For the U.S. audience, Stoyki’s exercise might evoke comparisons to American naval operations, such as those of the Littoral Combat Ship [LCS] program, though the Steregushchiy-class vessels are more heavily armed and less modular. The U.S. Navy has tracked similar Russian activities closely, often deploying assets like the Sixth Fleet to monitor movements near NATO waters.
In March 2021, for instance, a Baltic Fleet detachment including Stoyki’s sister ship Boikiy transited the English Channel unannounced, prompting shadowing by HMS Sutherland. Such encounters underscore the cat-and-mouse dynamic at play, though no direct U.S. response to this specific exercise has been reported.
The Stoyki’s capabilities also invite scrutiny of its potential adversaries. The Uran system’s Kh-35 missiles, with a speed of Mach 0.8 and a low-altitude flight profile, pose a threat to smaller NATO vessels, though they lack the range and payload of Russia’s Kalibr missiles found on larger ships.
The Redut system, while advanced, has faced questions about reliability in combat conditions, a point raised in Western defense analyses like those from the Center for Naval Analyses. Still, its integration with artillery and electronic warfare tools makes the Stoyki a versatile opponent in confined waters like the Baltic.
Looking ahead, the Steregushchiy-class fleet is set to grow. The Russian Navy plans to acquire at least 30 such ships across its four major fleets, with additional units under construction at Severnaya Verf and the Amur Shipyard. The Stoyki itself may undergo upgrades, following reports that its lead ship, Steregushchiy, is slated for a refit to include Kalibr-NK cruise missiles.
For now, its role remains tied to the Baltic, where it continues to patrol and train. The latest exercise, with its emphasis on multi-domain operations, reinforces that mission, keeping the corvette—and Russia’s naval ambitions—in sharp focus for observers across the Atlantic.
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