Ukraine strikes Russian Buyan-M warship near Lake Onega in rare inland attack
Photo: A Russian Buyan-M-class small missile ship (Russian media)
Ukrainian forces attacked a Russian Buyan-M-class small missile ship overnight near Lake Onega. The vessel carries Oniks and Kalibr cruise missiles, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"In the area of Lake Onega (Republic of Karelia, Russia), a small missile ship, Buyan-M, was damaged. The extent of the damage is being verified," the General Staff said.
About the ship
The Buyan-M (Project 21631) belongs to a series of Russian multipurpose small missile and artillery ships designed for operations in coastal and inland waters. These river-sea class vessels are equipped with guided missile systems.
Their official mission is to guard and protect the state's economic zone in internal maritime areas. A total of 12 ships of this class have been built.
Armament
The ship is fitted with a vertical launch system carrying eight Oniks cruise missiles. It can also deploy Tsirkon and Kalibr missiles, capable of striking land targets up to 1,500–2,000 kilometers away. The anti-ship missiles of the Kalibr system can hit naval targets at ranges of up to 500 kilometers.
Its artillery includes one Universal gun and a 30mm automatic Duet system with two six-barrel cannons. The vessel is also equipped with two rocket launchers and several machine guns.
Weaknesses
The main drawbacks of the Buyan-M class are:
- Weak air defenses;
- Limited autonomy with a range of up to 2,500 miles;
- Poor seaworthiness in storms above Force 5.
Earlier, on August 28, Ukrainian forces struck another Buyan-M missile ship in the Sea of Azov. Fighters of the HUR special unit Prymary ("Ghosts") damaged the ship's radar system with a drone strike, while special forces attacked the carrier of Kalibr missiles.
