Satellite imagery recently made public has revealed significant progress in the construction of a massive amphibious assault ship, the Ivan Rogov, at the Zaliv Shipyard in Kerch, a city in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Russian Ivan Rogov warship defies sanctions in rapid build
Photo credit: Russian MoD
This vessel, one of two planned under Russia’s Project 23900, is being built to bolster the Russian Navy’s capabilities, with the lead ship nearing a critical stage of development.
The images, captured in mid-March and reported by various open-source intelligence analysts, showcase a hull that stretches up to 220 meters long and 40 meters wide, signaling a rapid advancement since earlier photos from July 2024 showed only the initial framework.
The Ukrainian military publication Defense Express revealed satellite images showing progress on Russia's new flagship, "Ivan Rogov," under construction in occupied Kerch, Crimea.
This vessel will surpass the sunken cruiser "Moskva" in size and capacity, accommodating up to 900… pic.twitter.com/ffwwswOkJ8
— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 3, 2025
Designed to carry up to 15 helicopters, 900 marines, and a range of military equipment, this ship represents a bold step in Russia’s naval ambitions, particularly in the Black Sea region, despite ongoing economic sanctions and the war in Ukraine.
The Ivan Rogov is no ordinary vessel. As part of Project 23900, a program launched in July 2020, it is engineered to be a universal landing ship, capable of deploying troops, vehicles, and air support in a single operation.
With a full displacement of up to 30,000 tons, it dwarfs the Moskva, the former flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which sank in April 2022 after a Ukrainian missile strike. That cruiser measured 186 meters in length and displaced 11,490 tons, making the Ivan Rogov a significantly larger and more versatile platform.
The ship’s design includes capacity for 75 armored vehicles, three landing craft, and a helicopter complement that could include models like the Ka-29 transport and the Ka-52K attack variant. Russian authorities have pegged its estimated cost at around 100 billion rubles—roughly $1.3 billion at the time of its keel-laying—highlighting the substantial investment Moscow is willing to pour into its naval resurgence.
What stands out in this development is the pace of construction. Less than a year ago, analysts like MT Anderson, an OSINT researcher, shared satellite imagery showing the Ivan Rogov’s hull in its infancy, with only the basic skeleton taking shape at the Zaliv facility.
Now, the ship appears close to structural completion, a feat that raises questions about Russia’s shipbuilding capabilities under pressure. The Zaliv Shipyard, located on the eastern edge of Crimea, has historically been a key site for Soviet and Russian naval projects, but its output has been hampered in recent years by Western sanctions targeting Russia’s defense industry.
These restrictions, imposed following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, have limited access to advanced technology, materials, and funding. Yet, the rapid progress suggests either a remarkable adaptation by Russian engineers or a reallocation of resources that defies external constraints.
This achievement is particularly striking when viewed through a technological lens. Building a ship of this scale requires sophisticated coordination—steel fabrication, welding, propulsion systems integration—all while navigating supply chain disruptions.
The Zaliv yard’s ability to push forward could indicate improvements in domestic production, such as increased output of high-strength steel or modular construction techniques that allow for faster assembly. Alternatively, some analysts speculate that Russia may be circumventing sanctions by sourcing components through third countries, though no concrete evidence from the satellite imagery confirms this.
The photos do show a bustling worksite, with cranes and materials visible, hinting at a concentrated effort. For comparison, the U.S. Navy’s America-class amphibious assault ships, which are similar in role and displace around 45,000 tons, take roughly four to five years from keel-laying to commissioning under optimal conditions.
Russia’s timeline, if sustained, could see the Ivan Rogov operational by late 2026 or early 2027, a testament to either ingenuity or desperation.
The strategic timing of this project adds another layer of intrigue. Amphibious assault ships are inherently offensive tools, designed to project power ashore, whether through troop landings or air support.
In the context of the Black Sea, where Russia’s naval dominance has been challenged by Ukraine’s use of drones and anti-ship missiles, the Ivan Rogov could restore some of that lost leverage.
Its ability to deploy marines and helicopters would enhance Moscow’s capacity to threaten coastal targets or reinforce positions in contested areas like Crimea. However, the ship’s potential goes beyond regional waters.
Russia has shown growing interest in expanding its naval presence in the Arctic, where melting ice opens new shipping lanes and resource opportunities, and in the Mediterranean, where it maintains a base in Tartus, Syria.
A vessel like this could serve as a mobile command center for such expeditions, aligning with President Vladimir Putin’s vision of reviving Russia’s global military reach, a goal he has pursued since the early 2000s.
Historically, Russia’s navy has leaned heavily on submarines and surface combatants, with less emphasis on amphibious warfare. The Soviet-era Ivan Rogov-class landing ships, built in the 1970s and decommissioned by the 2000s, were far smaller, displacing just 14,000 tons and carrying four helicopters.
The new Project 23900 marks a leap forward, reflecting lessons from modern conflicts where rapid troop deployment and air support have proven decisive. For instance, during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet played a key role in landing troops but lacked the integrated capabilities of a modern amphibious assault ship. The current Ivan Rogov seems tailored to avoid such limitations, offering a platform that could sustain prolonged operations far from home shores.
Yet, for all its promise, the ship carries inherent vulnerabilities. Its reliance on helicopters like the Ka-52K, a navalized version of the Alligator attack chopper, is a potential weak point. Production of these aircraft has been slow, with reports from Ukrainian military sources suggesting Russia struggles to replace losses sustained in combat.
The Ka-29, a transport helicopter, is also aging, with many airframes dating back decades. Equipping the Ivan Rogov with a full complement of 15 operational helicopters could stretch Russia’s aviation industry thin. Moreover, the ship’s size makes it a prime target for modern anti-ship weapons, a lesson driven home by the Moskva’s fate.
Ukraine’s Neptune missiles and sea drones have exposed the fragility of large surface vessels in contested waters, and NATO allies like Turkey, which controls access to the Black Sea via the Bosporus, could restrict the Ivan Rogov’s movements under the Montreux Convention if tensions escalate.
These weaknesses tie into broader questions about the ship’s viability in today’s battlefield. Amphibious assaults are risky endeavors, requiring air and sea superiority—conditions Russia has not consistently achieved in Ukraine.
The U.S. Marine Corps, for example, has shifted away from traditional beach landings toward smaller, more dispersed operations, partly due to the threat of precision-guided munitions.
If the Ivan Rogov is meant to spearhead a large-scale landing, it could face devastating losses against a prepared enemy. Its design, while impressive on paper, may reflect a strategic mindset rooted in past wars rather than future realities, a critique often leveled at Russia’s military modernization efforts.
Beyond its technical and operational challenges, the Ivan Rogov’s construction has geopolitical ripples. Turkey, a NATO member with a complex relationship with Russia, will likely monitor the ship closely, given its role as gatekeeper to the Black Sea.
Under international law, Ankara can limit the passage of warships during wartime, a power it exercised in 2022 to block some Russian vessels. The ship’s base in occupied Kerch also complicates matters, as any deployment could reinforce Moscow’s claim over Crimea, a move the U.S. and its allies reject.
Meanwhile, China, which has its own ambitions for amphibious assault ships like the Type 075, might see the Ivan Rogov as a benchmark—or a cautionary tale—for its naval expansion in the Pacific.
NATO planners, already wary of Russia’s military buildup, may push for countermeasures, such as enhanced maritime patrols or missile defenses in Eastern Europe.
The satellite imagery itself offers more than just a snapshot of progress—it’s a window into Russia’s priorities. Analysts poring over the photos, as reported by outlets like Newsweek and Defense Express, note the presence of heavy machinery and a steady workforce, suggesting the project has been shielded from the economic turmoil plaguing other sectors.
Weather conditions in Kerch, typically mild in spring, have likely aided construction, unlike the harsh winters that can stall Arctic projects. Some OSINT observers have even speculated about the types of steel or coatings visible in the images, though such details remain inconclusive without closer inspection.
What’s clear is that the Zaliv Shipyard has become a focal point for Russia’s naval resurgence, a fact that invites further scrutiny from intelligence agencies worldwide.
Stepping back, the Ivan Rogov’s rise reflects a nation determined to reclaim its status as a maritime power, even as it grapples with war and isolation. Its rapid construction is a feat of engineering and resolve, but one shadowed by practical and strategic uncertainties.
The ship could indeed become a game-changer for Russia’s navy, offering unmatched flexibility in a single hull. Yet, its success hinges on factors beyond the shipyard—aviation support, crew training, and a shifting global order that may not favor such ambitious gambits.
For now, it stands as a symbol of defiance, a steel behemoth taking shape under the watchful eyes of satellites and adversaries alike. Whether it will fulfill its promise or join the Moskva in the annals of naval losses remains an open question, one that time and conflict will ultimately answer.
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