Russian destroyer enters the Baltic Sea, increasing regional naval capability
Northern Fleet "Vice Admiral Kulakov" is likely bound for maintenance activity however, with two Steregushchiy deployed, it is possible Kulakov could conduct operational activity in the Baltic Sea
Russia Navy Northern Fleet Pr.1155 Udaloy class large anti-submarine ship BPK-626 “Vice Admiral Kulakov” was visually identified entering the Baltic Sea during the forenoon, 26 May 2025. As has become common, the ship’s force protection upper deck weapon crews were closed up and of note, the fo’c’sle part-of-ship team were likely conducting underway training during the passage through the Great Belt.
Vice Admiral Kulakov, which departed homeport Severomorsk on 20 May, highly likely conducted a direct transit to the Baltic Sea and is likely heading for a maintenance period at a Baltic based shipyard.
However, with only one operational Pr.20380 class Steregushchiy class missile corvette available to the Russian Navy Baltic Sea Fleet, there is a realistic possibility BPK-626 could conduct a short temporary duty assignment in the Baltic sea, likely over the next 1-3 months, before entering maintenance.
Comment
Vice Admiral Kulakov is likely bound for Khronstadt Marine Plant to undergo an assessed 12-month routine docked-down maintenance period, similar to that conducted by sister vessel Northern Fleet Udaloy class destroyer BPK-619 “Severomorsk” between September 2023 to November 2024.
However, it is worthy of note that on completion of her maintenance, BPK-619 Severomorsk conducted post-maintenance K2 operational training in the Baltic Sea, highly likely followed by a 4-month temporary duty assignment staging from Baltiysk. Whilst benign at the time, her presence added increased capability to the Baltic Fleet following the US election result and the uncertainty that followed.
NATO and Russia are entering a period of heightened tension. Fears over asymmetric warfare, land/maritime espionage and underwater infrastructure tampering have been exacerbated by concerns over Russia’s “shadow fleet” tanker activity and both sides have conducted increased levels of maritime interdiction/VBSS exercises (Ex Storm Defender 2025 and a similar Russian exercise in the Gulf of Gdansk) during Spring 2025 and this may have driven the increase in interdiction activity and rhetoric, leading to further tension.
The absence of two key workhorse Pr.20380 class missile corvettes, namely SKR-531 Soobrazitelny and SKR-532 Boikiy, will be keenly felt by the Baltic Fleet and there is a realistic possibility BPK-626 Vice Admiral Kulakov may conduct a short, one to three month temporary duty assignment as a stop-gap capability until SKR-531 “Soobrazitelny” and SKR-532 “Boikiy” return from their out-of-area deployments.
The Udaloy class remain formidable units and their overall weapon complement, including large calibre guns and 3M82 Moskit-M (NATO: SS-N-22) supersonic anti-ship missiles, may further increase regional tension especially, if BPK-626 conducts a more robust duty assignment, such as participation in weapon exercise activity in the central Baltic and Gulf of Finland.
More information on BPK-619 Severomorsk during her time in the Baltic Sea can be found in this article and the links it contains.
Russian Navy ASW destroyer completes Baltic Sea deployment
·Russian Navy Northern Fleet Pr.1155 Udaloy class large anti-submarine destroyer BPK-619 “Severomorsk” departed the Baltic Sea, PM 13 March 2025 and rendezvoused with the returning “Syria Express” group, comprising Russian Navy Baltic Fleet Pr.775/II Ropucha class BDK-110 “Alexandr Shabalin” MV Sparta IV and MV Siyane Severa, north of Guernsey during the…
James Droxford is a former Navy and Intelligence Agency signals intelligence officer and Defence Intelligence submarine and C4I desk officer/analyst. Now a civilian, he is an independent maritime intelligence producer, analyst and reporter focusing on Russian maritime activity.