Russian Northern Fleet ASW destroyer operating in the Baltic Sea
Udaloy class BPK-619 "Severomorsk" did not depart the Baltic Sea after maintenance and is likely conducting a temporary assignment to the Baltic Fleet, strengthening ASW capability
Russian Navy Northern Fleet Pr.1155 Udaloy class large anti-submarine destroyer BPK-619 “Severomorsk” completed a 14-month docked-down maintenance period at Khronstadt Marine Plant (KMP) from September 2023 to November 2024 and departed for post maintenance sea trials in the Gulf of Finland, late November 2024.
On completion of post maintenance sea trials, BPK-619 Severomorsk departed Khronstadt naval base in early December 2024 and likely conducted shakedown and crew proficiency training while transiting east in the Gulf of Finland.
Upon entering the Baltic Sea, BPK-619 highly likely conducted K2 proficiency training with Baltic Fleet warships and highly likely participated in a joint ASW exercise with Baltic Fleet Pr.1331M Parchim class ASW corvettes of the 144th and 146th Tactical Group (formerly known as the 109th ASW ship division and 264th ASW battalion respectively).
Following K2/ASWEX training, BPK-619 entered Baltiysk Naval Base mid-December 2024 and was imaged in Baltiysk during mid-February 2025 suggesting it had likely assumed a temporary operational assignment to the Baltic Fleet.
Analysis
During the Summer 2024, Russian Press reporting indicated that BPK-619 would complete repairs at KMP in September 2024 and return to the Northern Fleet. Notwithstanding the eight week delay in her maintenance programme which moved her completion date to November 2024, BPK-619 has not returned to the Northern Fleet but highly likely conducted unit K2 and Joint ASW training with elements of both Baltic Fleet ASW squadrons suggesting she regained operational status and certification in the Baltic Sea.
With only six lightly armed Pr.1331M class ASW corvettes in the Baltic Fleet the addition of a Udaloy class destroyer, with its complement of longer range and more potent ASW focused weapons including two Ka-27 Helix ASW helicopters, is assessed to greatly increase Russian Baltic Fleet surface ship ASW capability particularly in regard to increased stand off range; this could allow Baltic Fleet Kilo and Lada class SSKs to operate in the less operationally challenging ASW picket role, thereby increasing their survivability against superior NATO SSKs during conflict.
The addition of new Pr.22350 class missile frigates to the Northern Fleet has significantly reduced pressure on the Severomorsk based Pr.1155 class particularly, BPK-605 “Admiral Levchenko”, BPK-626 “Admiral Kulakov” and BPK-650 “Admiral Chabanenko” which have been over used in the multi-purpose frigate role since the late-1990s. With BPK-650 undergoing modernisation at the 35th Ship Repair Yard in Murmansk, the Northern Fleet are likely content to sustain surface ship ASW capability in the Arctic with BPK-605 and BPK-626 alone, leaving BPK-619 Severomorsk available to conduct a temporary deployment in the Baltic Sea.
James Droxford is a former Royal Navy and Intelligence Agency signals intelligence officer and UK Defence Intelligence submarine/C4I analyst. Now a civilian, he is an independent maritime intelligence producer, analyst and reporter focusing on Russian maritime activity.
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"...superior NATO SSKs ..."?
Which types are those, and how are they superior?