On the night of 9 September 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Forces carried out a strike on the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, as a result of which, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Project 11356 frigate Admiral Essen was hit — one of the key carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, which Russia systematically uses for strikes on Ukrainian territory. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing an official GUR statement.
Deepstrike operation in the waters of Novorossiysk
According to intelligence, the strike was carried out during a so-called deepstrike operation conducted by operators of the GUR's Active Operations Department together with other components of the Ukrainian Defence Forces. The target of the operation was not only a specific warship, but also the coastal infrastructure of the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, which, according to Kyiv, provides logistics and maintenance for the missile carriers.
Ship damage and the tactical significance of the strike
As a result of the hit, a fire broke out on the deck superstructure of the frigate Admiral Essen, as evidenced by data provided by the Ukrainian side. The destruction of this ship has direct tactical significance for Ukraine: the Admiral Essen belongs to the class of frigates armed with Kalibr (3M-54) cruise missiles, which Russia uses for mass strikes on energy infrastructure, cities and military facilities on Ukrainian territory. Taking out of service even one such carrier reduces the missile potential of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea.
Not the first strike on the Admiral Essen
It is worth noting that the frigate Admiral Essen has not for the first time become a target for Ukrainian forces. In August 2026, the GUR and the Ukrainian Defence Forces reported hitting several warships in Novorossiysk: the frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov, as well as the patrol ship Vasily Bykov. The repeated strike on the same ship indicates that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, the Admiral Essen was either repaired or the damage from the previous strike did not fully disable it. This underscores Kyiv's consistent line of action in neutralising missile carriers in the enemy's rear.
Context and the parties' reactions
At the time of publication, the Russian side provided no independent confirmation or refutation of the hit on the frigate. Ukrainian media outlets — RBC-Ukraine, Glavred, Pravda.ru (Ukrainian edition) and Korrespondent — unanimously cite the GUR statement as the sole source of information on the details of the strike. The operation in Novorossiysk fits into a broader campaign by the Ukrainian Defence Forces to hit Russian Navy facilities in the ports of the Black Sea Fleet, which Kyiv has been carrying out throughout 2026.
